Creature and the Maiden
by eitherangel
Summary: Can love really cure a man's injured soul, taking him into a new unknown road instead leading him and so many others into their tragic destines? Perhaps, perhaps not! Let's give him a second chance and let him meet the one he truly deserves.
1. Glimpse of Hope

This chapter was first published in 25: e April 2008, with the help of Deviantartist "JustGreg". He inspired me to write my very first fanfiction story of my favorite tale "Frankenstein". By the help of "Flameshadow117" who looked through the grammar and the tenses and approval by "JustGreg" I published the first chapters here on fanfiction. Thank you! :-)

But beacuse the story is almost 5 years now old and my writing style has improved over the years, I had to rework this chapter; the difference between this and my latest chapters were too big.

So this is the new refreshed first chapter of "Creature and the Maiden". You who have already read and know the story or perhaps never encountered it before; take a look and let yourself be enchanted.

Great Thanks to "Rean Darkle" for helping me with the grammar and the tenses but also for your great support. :-)

**First Publish: 4/25/2008.**

**Second publish and reworked: 11/25/2012.**

The story is based on the novel and the Hallmark version of Frankenstein, with the actors Luke Goss and Alec Newman as The Creature and Victor Frankenstein.

I don't own The Creature or Victor Frankenstein; they belong to Hallmark and Mary Shelley. But the rest of the characters are mine.

**Enjoy!**

**Prolog: **

Sometimes, the word "destiny" sounds too weird or good to be true. Some people say that it was destiny that brought his or her partner together or it was destiny that shaped them into the people they are today.

But how did destiny change two people's lives so completely? Two different people who never knew each other and perhaps never would have. The woman was born into a wealthy and loving family; her childhood was everything a happy girl could ever dream of, but her destiny was to become a poor peasant girl, and learn how to survive on her own. The man was born in the most unnatural way you can ever think of. A terrible accident by an ambitious but self-centered scientist—a modern Prometheus who didn't knew what he was doing until it was too late. Out of fear and sickness the father abandoned his creation. With no one to care for his welfare and comfort him, the man had to learn to live on his own. Slowly he understood that not only was he terribly ugly and people feared him because of this, there was no one like him in the entire world, nor in the universe! From his father's journal he managed to grab before he ran away, he learned how and why he was the way he was; ugly, deformed and utterly lonely.

For the woman, she would have probably continued struggling with poverty but eventually she would have married a farmer and became a wife and carried many children, been one of the many normal, invisible people.

Fate and Destiny; are all living things bonded by these threads? In another world, the fate of the man would be despair, hate and revenge. He'd destroy everything his father held dear, kill his family one by one and in the end, his father and then himself, all because he never got the chance to love and be loved.

A tragic story but a story with an important message that must be carried on!

Not every successful experiment or discovery made by science or adventurers will be great in the end; neither for nature or human kind. This story must continue to be symbol and a warning for every scientist, adventurer, and ordinary citizen to be aware of the consequences of their actions if they cross something they are not prepared for or trying to see more than just your human eyes behold over another person or creature. It might be something more you never dreamed of!

But what would happen if someone decided to change this course of fate in this particular world, in this particular story? Force this man and this woman to take a different road that would perhaps lead to another destiny no one ever thought would be possible, but still continue to carry this important message in the end.

Because the most important thing the monster or man hasn't understood yet, his father made him what he is, but he never made him who he is!

**Creature and the Maiden chapter 1.**

The river had flooded his heart.

The river had taken him.

Unable to fight the water's terrible power any longer, the Creature's blue eyes closed as his body sank down, letting the stream carry him away wherever it was going. Memories of his short life appeared in his mind as he let the river take him away; memories from his journey, how up he ended up in the river and why.

It began several weeks earlier, on an early day in the autumn in the southeast side of Germany, not so far from Ingolstadt. The sky was clear and the sun was warm, but everything was completely ignored by a strange odd looking man running through the yellow-red forest. He was very tall and most of his body was covered in rags and worn-out clothes, his dark hair was too long and too tangled to get a glimpse of his grey skin and tear-filled eyes and wet cheeks.

He had run as fast as he could but his heart still ached.

It felt like just a couple a minutes, but it had been several hours ago when he felt the great joy of dancing playfully with the blind man's granddaughter, Eva, while the blind man played his violin. He felt accepted as a human and an equal. Those hours were the happiest hours in his miserable life, those hours he felt hope. First he was too scared and shy when he approached Eva, afraid he would scare her away by his appearance.

Instead she simply had said _"Hello" _and then _"Do you like baby ducklings?"_ The first kind words he ever received by a human being. And the grandfather…could he ever be more lucky than with this old man who was blind and didn't see his face, only the kind spirit that was inside in this ugly façade, and accepted him as an equal.

But that was washed away like the sea, when the old man's son Felix and daughter in law Agatha saw him and had chased him away with a stick. Screaming with fear and hate! Of course he had tried to explain that he was the one who had collected the wood for them and they did not need to be afraid of him. But Agatha's fear for her daughter's sake and Felix's horror that he spied over them washed away all the chances and possibilities to be a part of the family…to be his family!

What did he do wrong?

After that he kept running and running, letting his tears fall over his cheeks, making him blind to where he was going. He finally stopped to catch some breath. Tired and exhausted, he moved down to sip some water from the river. But the water was clear and bright and the Creature looked away to not see his poor reflection in the water. He splashed it away with his hand so he could move his face down to drink without seeing it.

The first time he saw his own reflection, he thought it was a terrible monster come to kill him. He turned around to see but there was nobody behind him, he had placed his hands on his grey cheeks and looked at the water reflection. He froze as he stared in horror!

The skin was pale and slightly grey, scarcely covering the work of muscles and horrible scars. One at his temple and another encircled around his neck and down his chest. He had shoulder-length black hair, pale blue eyes and grey lips.

The truth came to him and he had angrily splashed his reflection out of existence and ran away. Tears ran down his face and he whimpered, "Damn you, DAMN you!"

Now he was not naïve anymore, he understood why everyone feared him. Just a small look of him was enough to fill every human with fear and hate. If they didn't run away or faint, they tried to hurt or kill him.

While he sat on the ground, letting his body rest, he cleaned away the dried salt on his face. He had made his decision.

There was only one thing he needed to do, he needed to find his father; Victor Frankenstein. He was the first human being the Creature saw when he had opened his eyes for the first time. He needed to find him and force him to explain everything. He knew how he was made but not why. He was a wretch, a monster, a freak! With no family, no friends, no companions or even creatures like him. Why did his father create such an ugly beast that even he ran away in fear from him!?

It wasn`t fair!

When moving up to look around his surroundings, he discovered he didn't know where he was or how long he had been running, only that he had moved west by following the river. He remembered Felix had called it Donau and its water moved west, towards Switzerland. The Creature knew that Genève laid in the west so he decided simply to follow Donau. He had no idea how far it was and how long he needed to travel, but no matter how many days, pain and hardships, this was his final destination.

He was going to make his way toward Genève.

For days and weeks he traveled. Covered by the darkness of the night and with the moon as his sun, he followed the river and the stars. He avoided any signs of human civilization; roads, villages, small cottages etc. He lived on what nature gave him and nothing else.

It was correct to use the river Donau as his guideline, but he didn't know that at the end of Donau, he needed to move more south and reach another river named Rhen and cross it before he could ever enter Switzlerland! He believed that he only needed to follow Donau, and he would find either the Lake Genève or the town with the same name.

Instead he came closer and closer to "Schwarzwald".

"Schwarzwald" or "The Black Forest" is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany.A country that`s one of the most beautiful places on the earth; high mountains, lush green forests and big waterfalls. This almost isolated world was mostly untouched with only a few small towns outspread.

He was unaware that he was moving closer and closer to a part of the country he had never set his foot in before. One sunny day came the moment that interrupted the whole course of his planned destiny.

The Creature had heard the sound of voices while walking near the river. A young girl had come running along the side of the river not so far from him. Suddenly her foot slipped, and she fell into the rapid stream. Watching in fear for this small human's life, he jumped down into the cold, hard stream and swam after her. With great force and strength he managed to grab the girl and drag her to the shore. He placed her carefully on the hard ground. With shaky hands he tried to animate the girl, but when the father who wasn't far away heard his daughter scream, he noticed the horrible stranger with his unconscious daughter laying on the ground. Suspecting him of having attacked her, the father aimed his gun at the Creature and shot. Luckily for the Creature he backed away just in time to not get the bullet right in his heart, but unfortunately his feet slipped on the wet stones under him and fell back into the river again, and was carried away by the hard stream.

The Creature had felt a surge of panic run through his body as he tried to keep his head over the icy cold stream. The river was uncontrollably strong and his clothes dragged him down like stones. Losing his strength bit by bit, the Creature felt his mind slipping into an endless darkness.

"_No not yet, hold on, you can't die like this!"_

He had just saved a girl from drowning, a girl the same age as his little Eva; he couldn't stand to watch her lifeless body sink into the dark cold water. So he rescued her. He still wanted to show that he was no monster, but the father saw differently and this was his reward.

Now floating here in the cold water, with his face and chest up he could sometimes watch the clear blue sky, and sometimes the blue brown bottom of the river, floating like a piece of old wood. He had tried to fight and swim towards the river bank, tried to grab stones or fallen branches, but he failed. The river was too strong and sometimes a small waterfall came and he had no choice than to meet the hard sharp rocks at the bottoms of them.

He tried to call out for help but remembered there was no one who would help him. He gave up. Getting farther and farther in the water it became harder to breathe. Thoughts of committing suicide passed his mind; let his life end here. But he remembered his last desperate hope and the beginning hate filling his heart, and he continued to live.

_"If I can't inspire love, I will inspire fear and hate; I will kill every person who screams, faints or tries to hurt me because of my face. What`s the use of trying when no one sees me, the real me! I`m going to make my father's life as miserable as my own. Make him feel what I feel... I SWEAR BY MY NAMELESS SOUL A HATRED TO ALL MANKIND!" _

He kept repeating these hated thoughts until his mind passed out from the lack of air and tiredness, letting his body be carried by the river, heading west towards an unknown destiny.

Hours later he left Donau and moved to one of the smaller rivers which were calmer and not so deep. It carried him now, slowly in a soft rhythm like he was a baby.

Until something suddenly awoke from his deep sleep.

Despite the water he heard a soft melody far away. His mind and body was pulled towards the surface by an unknown source. He didn't see the strange light around him as he moved nearer to the shores but it felt like the melody was a couple of invisible hands, dragging him towards safety and regaining his last amount of energy so he could drag his body up from this temporary coma .

With his last strength he managed to crawl his up from the river and crash down on the wet cold stones. The Creature stared at some of the dark spots on his dark brown wet coat while he lay on his side, taking long deep breaths. He was tired, and confused by this small miracle.

The entrancing sound met his ears again. It was entreating and beautiful. He laid his body stretched upon the ground, turned his eyes up towards the sky and watched the moving green and yellow leafs on the trees as he listened. Sometimes a leaf came floating down and he watched as it flew, until it dropped down on the ground not far away from him.

The sound was soft and warm and he liked the tone of it. The hate he felt and all the agony he had disappeared and his mind came into a strange kind of serenity.

But he didn't realize until moments later that it wasn't from the sound of the water, the wind or the birds.

It was the sound of a woman's voice!

Slowly he moved his head towards where the sound was coming from. It seemed to come from not so far away behind some bushes and trees. In a trance, the Creature slowly moved his body up and began to walk or actually crawl towards the sound.

The river floated in some kind of a valley because the sound came from farther away than he expected, but around the next corner, after the river turned more to the left, he finally spotted the source.

Behind some bushes he finally saw her…

A redheaded girl was kneeled down at the edge of the riverbank, washing linen and clothes as she sang the enchanting melody.

She had red, long soft curly hair, pale freckled skin and beautiful green eyes! It was the most pleasant sound he had ever heard. He should have moved away, he shouldn't have cared because this voice belonged to a woman he never could show his face to, or even talk to.

But enchanted by her song and beauty he moved closer and closer.

Suddenly the girl felt that someone was watching, she stopped singing and turned her face to the woods and saw...nothing.

Creature made sure to stay well hidden behind the bushes. He held his breath and made sure to stay completely still. The only things they could hear were the water and the singing birds around them.

Then the girl simply shrugged and moved down to continue with her work. "Silly girl," she said to herself. "You've been staying all by yourself here in the woods for so long, you're beginning to imagine things." She returned to her laundry again and hummed the little song she was making up while she did the washing.

After a little bit she stopped again and listened. This time her shoulders and eyes were more tensed and she scanned carefully around the area. It was just a feeling in her stomach, but she was sure that something or someone was watching her. However, all she could hear was a Robin singing its song, and so she continued with her laundry. But she made sure to keep her eyes up while washing more often.

Creature had walked closer to her, still hidden behind the trees and bushes. It was insane, totally insane! Why was he doing this?

When the girl was done, she put her old worn-out shawl around her shoulders, took her basket with her linen and started to walk back to her cottage.

She began to sing again. Her voice was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. It was warm and soft, filling his heart with something... It was the same feeling he had when he listened to the old man's violin, how it warmed him, but this was something more. He couldn't explain it, he didn't know the word!

The girl was happily singing her song and had already forgotten about the feeling of being observed, until a strange, deep, and hoarse humming sound mixed in with her voice. She immediately stopped - and so did the humming. The creature had been so wrapped up in her singing, that he unconsciously started humming along, while he had followed her hiding behind bushes and trees along the path.

He saw her looking around, then shaking her head again. As she proceeded on her way back home, a quiet sigh passed through his lips.

He didn't intend to reveal himself to her but her song was almost like magic.

Her cottage was in the middle of an open glade. There was a wood fence around the small wood-cottage and a small garden with vegetables and herbs. Two goats standing behind the fence welcomed her by bleating.

She scratched them gently on their ears and smiled softly. She walked to a line hanging between two trees and started to hang up her clothes. Smiling while she continued to hum. He would have given anything, almost anything, to see her smile like that to him, like she did for the goats. But he knew exactly how she would react if she saw him.

The memories of the little girl's parents' reactions when they saw him playing with their daughter came back to him; Felix's hateful face and how he had beaten him with the stick. _"Stay away from my family, you MONSTER",_ still haunted him.

When all the clothes were hanging on the line, she took the empty basket and went inside the cottage to prepare for dinner.

He waited a little while before he approached her little cottage. It was already beginning to darken outside. Night seemed to fall fast in the woods. He knew she wouldn't leave her home in the dark, so stepped over the fence and wandered around in her yard, not being so careful anymore.

The darkness would cover him, he thought, but the coldness started too sweep through his damp clothes and he began to freeze. All of a sudden he felt a touch at the back of his legs. One of the goats had come over to him, curiously smelling at him. He went down on his knees and looked at the goat.

The hint of a smile appeared on his lips and his hands reached for the animal. He wanted to touch the fur that she had laid her hands on just a little while ago. The other goat came up to him too, bleating. Panic rose in his eyes. What if she came back out to see what was going on?

Instantly he grabbed the bleating goat and pressed his huge hands on its mouth to make it stop...

The goat struggled and tried to bit him, but the Creature held the goat's mouth hard. The other goat fled to a small shed beside the cottage, too afraid to make any sound. He turned his head to the window and moved closer, still holding the goats' mouth tightly.

He looked inside carefully. The room was small but comfortable; it had a table with two chairs in the middle, a small bed in the corner of the room, with a canopy hanging over it. Next to the bed was a desk with books, papers and dried herbs in boxes. Dried bouquets in bunches were hanging over the window and there were jars and bottles on ledges around the room.

The girl had just hacked some vegetables and put them in a cauldron over the fire. Waiting for the dinner to be ready, she took the brush from the table and started to brush her red hair, while sitting comfortable beside the fire.

Her hair was thick and very long, almost to her waist and it glowed from the flames. She had her back towards the Creature so she did not see him.

He watched, staring at her. He'd never seen anything as beautiful, watching the brush melt through those shiny strands of beautiful red hair. The Creature's hands reached out, he wanted to touch the glowing softness. But his hands couldn't reach beyond the glass of the window.

The coolness of the glass that his fingers touched lowered the temperature of the fire that was burning inside of him - and brought his mind back to reason.

Why did he torture himself like this?!

The goat, now finally released from the firm, inescapable grip of his hand, took a deep relieving breath and let out a loud bleating sound, before it ran away to hide in the dark. The creature moved away from the window in panic, while his fingerprints stayed on the glass.

She must have heard it, he thought. Well hidden in the shadows, he waited and recognized the sound of a chair being moved over the wooden floor. He heard footsteps approaching the window and crouched. The girl's face appeared behind the glass.

For a second he stopped breathing, but she only closed the curtains and went back to check on her dinner. Again, a big sigh of relief left his chest. She didn't see him. But now that the curtains were closed, he couldn't see her either. But he had to - the fire inside his body was still burning.

He had never felt anything like this before. This longing, this excitement or obsession was completely new to him. He couldn't get the vision of her long, floating red hair out of his mind. Something drove him towards the door of her house.

He didn't want to frighten her, and he was fearful himself, all he knew was he had to have another look at her. Without making the slightest sound, he pushed the door handle down...

He opened the door slightly, very carefully. Scared to make any sound, he watched her behind the door, breathless. The girl having just put her vegetables on her plate, was sitting at the table eating. With her vegetables she had a piece of bread and milk.

She closed her eyes and took a big breath of sighing relief. Relief at being filled with food after a hard day of work. The food looked delicious from the Creature's point of view but it was very little.

_It seems she doesn't have much to eat,_ he thought. He looked around the garden, he didn't see much because of the darkness. But he saw potatoes, carrots, beans and herbs. He looks back at the girl. She was a little bit thin, not like a skeleton, her muscles on her arms were strong and slender, but she looked like she needed some extra food.

This was insane!

Why did he think such impossible and forbidden thoughts? Hadn't he learned anything from his previous attempt of human contact? Delacey had hated him despite his efforts, the man with the gun tried to shoot him because he had saved the girl's life, and the man whom he called "father" didn't want to be near him despite it was he who gave him life!

Spying over an unprotected woman who would scream if she ever saw him. She would never be his friend or companion. If he walked in while she was eating she would try to harm him with her knife or fork. She would scream, yell, and run away to fetch her people, all because of his hideous appearance which would never disappear, no matter how many clothes and dirt he covered himself with.

Though the longing was still strong, he refrained from going any further. As quiet as he entered her private space, he left it in melancholic silence.

This beautiful peaceful moment was over and he had to leave. He had to find his road again towards Switzerland, towards Genève…and towards his father: Victor Frankenstein.

The creator who owed him so much must pay for what he had done.

He had created a monster no one could or would love because they couldn't see "him" inside his sad, tortured, blue eyes.

**Chapter nr two will be reworked to, so stay in patience! :-)**

**I have received many wonderful reviews and valuable critiques over the years! Thank you so much for your support! It means so much to me! :-)**


	2. Mushrooms-Reworked

** Disclaimer: I dont own the Creature or Frankenstein, it belongs to Hallmarks version of Frankenstein and Mary Shelley. ****This is my first fanfiction story so be kind to me! Im also Swedish so English is my second language, please exuse if I make any grammar mistakes sometimes. ****This chapter was first published on Deviantart April 25, 2008. Deviantartist ****"Flameshadow117" helped me with the grammar and tenses mistakes. **

**Like I wrote in the first chapter, I have reworked chapter 1 & 2 to suit them better with my present writing style. **

**So this is the new refreshed chapter two of "Creature and the Maiden" **

**Great Thanks to "Rean Darkle" for helping me with the grammar and the tenses but also for your great support. :-)**

**First Publish: 4/25/2008.**

**Second publish and reworked: 12/21/2012.**

**Enjoy!**

**Creature and the Maiden.**

**Chapter 2: **

While the moon moved its course over the pitch-black sky, Creature was suffering from a terrible nightmare. Well not exactly a nightmare, but it was close considering what had happened during this eventful day. Visions of the girl's read hair whirling around her face in small streams came across his mind several times. He tried to forget everything but it was very hard.

Never had he felt so restless. He tossed and turned but he still lay in a half sleeping state.

He lay in a pit under a couple of bushes that gave him some kind of a shelter from the cold night. But in his dreamland, small unknown creatures were standing just outside the opening. They were looking at him with small, glimmering yellow eyes. Was it Wolves, Badgers, Rabbits or a just a Fox? Were they Irritated that their home had been occupied by this huge animal? He had scanned through the bushes and the surrounding forest but it was almost impossible to see by the darkness. Was he dreaming or hallucinating everything, or just getting a cold from his damp clothes?

Instantly, it seemed to get colder, like the wind had finally found a passageway through the branches and was sweeping down over his neck and spine like cold fingers. It was creepy and again he deeply wished he had a companion. A friend who would hug him, say that it was nothing to worry about and he or she would protect him from the danger outside!

Suddenly, Creature looked up and peeked through the bushes. He was sure he had glimpsed something much taller than the rest of the shadows, more in the shape of a human. He looked again and in the darkness, he saw a couple of big glowing eyes staring back at him. He wasn't sure if he imaged it but he had no spirit to go out and greet it. The bright eyes stared back at him with such intensity that despite his own size and strength he felt more like a frightened child. He moved shakily into a fetal position. Creature closed his eyes tight and ignored the strange creatures and the glowing eyes outside his little world and tried to count the seconds before the dawn broke.

Fortunately, Creature finally drifted off to sleep and shortly after, the morning sun was up and the nightmares disappeared. Creature groaned as he opened his eyes. He could see dim and faint light sneaking through the small cracks of the bushes above him.

As the sun broke through the green leaves in the forest, the birds were starting to sing their morning songs - and so was the girl.

This familiar sound entered his mind and awakened him. While still lying on the leaf-covered ground, he wished she would stop her singing.

Didn't the girl know it was dangerous?! So tempting! For a moment Creature imagined him grabbing the girl's throat and squeezing her song out and forever ending it. But this mean thought only lasted in a few seconds till he allowed his ears grab the tones and let it pass through his head, permitted it to soothe his mind like it did yesterday.

_"What happened last night?"_ Creature asked himself, picked up the nightmare he had last night. All he could remember was a pair of bright eyes staring at him, made him feel like a frightened child. It must have been a large Fox or Badger, what else could it be?

Hearing his empty stomach growl for food, Creature began to pick up a handful of berries and started to eat them. Still hearing the girl`s voice he began to move back to her cottage again. Hiding behind the bushes he ate his berries slowly as he watched her. The girl took a small basket filled with grain to the troth of her goats. Those two precious animals were very happy to see her, so happy that the dark strange night was gone for another day. They jumped all over the place; bleating and pushing their noses into her legs, begging for food and attention.

She was growing some herbs and vegetables in her little garden, but those plants were not looking very healthy. The trees around her cottage swallowed most of the sunlight, and those fresh greens were constantly an irresistible temptation to the two goats.

It was obvious, despite her generosity to the goats that she was in a lack of food.

_"If those animals were not there,"_ Creature thought a bit bitterly. They ate everything they could find in the garden, even though she chased them away. If he did her a favor and killed them, the meat would be very useful for her, probably save her life for the upcoming winter. But then, he remembered the kindness and love that she treated them with. Kindness and love that he so deeply craved. No, he couldn't do that.

_What can I do?"_ he asked himself again.

She finished her chores in her yard. Some of her clothes had already dried and after taking them from the line, she went back inside.

Once she was gone, his mind started to clear up again. What was he doing? Shouldn't he be walking towards Genève and not laying in the bushes like some kind of a Rabbit? He barely had time to voice his frustrations at the heavens when the door opened again. She was now wearing a dark blue jacket and a straw hat on her head. She carried an empty basket and moved towards a small road, barely visible, which lead into the forest, and one moment later she disappeared through the trees.

When she was gone, Creature suddenly noticed a few mushrooms growing right next to a tree not so far away. They were big and fleshy and he knew they were edible. A bright spark rose in his eyes. Then he gathered all the mushrooms he could find and placed them in a small basket, made of dash and grass. He was very hungry but he restrained himself not to eat them and when he was finished, he went back to the cottage.

The girl was still in the forest; he went closer and then ran quickly to the door and placed the mushrooms on the doorstep. Afraid that she might come back, Creature ran back to the bushes, and waited patiently. An hour later she came back. Her basket was empty and she had a disappointed look. But then she saw the basket with mushrooms on her doorstep, she stopped walking, her eyes went wide and her mouth dropped. Walking closer, she picked up the present and examined it. She turned her head towards the woods suspiciously. Behind the bushes, Creature didn't move a muscle and he stopped breathing.

She saw nothing.

Then she suddenly started to giggle, "Don't be silly Laura, these mushrooms must be from Mrs. Bovary, as a gift for borrowing Lucinda (one of her goats) again" She looked at the mushrooms. "They look delicious! Where did she find them?" she said. "I will thank her tomorrow, with these I will make a wonderful stew!"

When she smiled the biggest smile appeared on the Creature's lips. She had appreciated his gift, even though she didn't really know who gave it to her.

She was the most beautiful woman, the most beautiful living being, that he had ever seen.  
Creature took a closer look at his hands. How big they were, how clumsy and rough they looked, compared to her delicate hands. He had painfully experienced the reactions to his appearance, for him it was best to keep well hidden from the rest of the human world.

Now he was eager to leave this forest, this cottage and this girl and move towards his destination again.

But when he walked through the forest, which seemed to never have an ending, he became uneasy, like something had chained him and every step he took made him more and more insecure of his mission.

What was wrong with him? Why did he begin to doubt when he was determined to move yesterday? Now he was agitated and restless.

The woods had pulled him in and some strange inexorable force, was keeping him here and refused to let him out from its grasp.

But he must leave! He had no choice!

He didn't know what seedy reasons brought him here; he had been given a small glimpse of beauty and tranquility which he knew he could never be a part of.

But why did he leave the mushrooms on her doorstep, and spied on her again? Was it a silly thought that she perhaps…No! Never!

He was leaving NOW.

But why did he still hesitate?

Creature suddenly stopped, slumped backward against a tree and moaned.

"What in the world is going on?" he whispered.

Was he scared to meet his father? To meet his fate? The possible reaction when he sees his creation again? Creature wasn't delighted to meet him either but he had no choice. The possibility was bright and clear that Victor Frankenstein would scream at him again, chasing him away like an animal. Never fully understanding and never lov-…

A wave of nausea hit him as he thought of it, or was it the "fever" that still held deep inside of him? After all the people that had hurt him, the hopes and trust he had placed on the DeLaceys but got rejected so severely, he still possessed this impossible hope that she might-...

_"What is wrong with you? What`s the reason to stay here when you know there is a small possibility that your father might actually help you? He might never love you because he abandoned you but he must help you. That`s his responsibility, he created you and now he must take the consequences!" _

So deeply wrapped in his troubling thoughts, he never understood the main source of his distress. Deep inside, he wanted someone to tell him these simple but very powerful words. Three words every human being wants to hear from his or hers beloved's lips.

_"I love you."_

A small voice started to whisper through his senses and he listened carefully- Why would someone like her – one so beautiful and caring, such a perfect being - why did she live out here all on her own? Was there something about her that he couldn't see directly and was hidden beneath her lovely facade? Had her family died, abandoned or chased her away? Humans like to be around other humans, so why did she live alone all by herself? Was she alone to?

Who is this Laura?

Could it be that she might be…different?

It was that, that caused him to be stubborn though he knew it wasn't possible. He knew it was impossible, the girl would never grant this wish because she was not like him.

But why did he still keep thinking of her!?

Without knowing what he was doing, he had turned his feet and was wandering back to the girl's cottage again.

Pleased, the forest removed its grasp around him, because he had now made his final decision, even he very well knew that he would regret it later.

**What do you think? Agree that this chapter is much, much better than the older one! :-)**


	3. An admirer?

**Creature and the Maiden- Chapter 3**

Days passed quickly; the weather was getting colder and darker and the days shorter, but the sun was still shining and warm and the winter was still far away. Creature followed Laura everywhere, hiding behind the bushes and rocks so she couldn't see him. It was only when he was in need of food or sleep could he take his eyes off her. He had found a cave not far away. It was small, but spacious enough for him to stand, and dry. The cave was well hidden behind some bushes so he needn't worry about any unexpected visitors.He slept on dried leaves and old blankets. Not comfortable in deed but he was used to live like this! Always freezing and dirty.

He discovered she lived all alone in the cottage. No parents nor siblings. She had neighbors, but they lived far away so he was not worried he would be discovered. The neighbors were Mrs. Bovary and her family with five children. Laura often visited them and it seemed she had very close contact with them. But why didn't she live with them, rather than all alone in the small cottage? Where did she come from? He saw that the way she moved and talked was different from the others peasants he had seen. It was more delicate and gracious, not simple and cocky. He only he knew that her name was Laura... Laura

...

The day was one of many days. Laura laid in her bed, half sleeping. The sun was kissing her eyes and said to her, "get up and start working." She moaned and turned her head from the sun. It was almost 6am and she needed to get up. The goats would start to bleat any minute. They were her regular morning clocks and they were never late. And it was no use to ignore them, they didn't stop until she was coming out to milk them.

She was covered in many blankets to keep her small body warm, but still she shivered. The fire in the oven had died and the cottage was a bit chilly, but she was used to it.

Sometimes she missed her old bed with warm sheets and soft pillows, long sleeping mornings and breakfast on her bed. But that was a long time ago. She sighed, and turned her head up. _"No! no more thinking of the past", youre maybe poor and freezie , but youre free and independent, Noone is commanding or beating you, tell you what to do or not to. Youre free!_ She shivered, _"but still freezing, I wish I had shopped more wood yesterday!"_ She closed her eyes and clutched the blankets around her. -"Five more minutes" she said and closed her eyes.

--

_A young girl clasped her arms as tight as she could around her father's chest. A small, skinny little girl with red pigtails looked into her fathers eyes, green as hers._

_"But what happens if you got lost in the sea, robbed by pirates or stranded on a small Island with cannibals! I don't want you to go, daddy! Don't go!! " _

_"This is our only chance, you know we have no money left and this is may be my only chance to save our house and get rid of the bills." He smiled at her with sad eyes and brushed her cheek with his hand. _

_"Your daddy was too naive to trust the bad businessmen; he thought he could trust them, but instead they turned against him and now he has no money. Uncle Crottingon has been very generous to help me borrow some money so I can invest in this ship. Hopefully I can bring something with me when I come back. Spices, silks, exotic animals and chinaware. And maybe a pretty doll for you! _

_He put his hands on her cheeks and looked deeply into her red-teared eyes. __"I will be gone just three weeks! Uncle Crottington will take good care of you and the house." You have nothing to worry about! "I dont like him! I dont him like at all! Promise you come back daddy? Promise!!"_

_" I Promise..."_

_--_

Five minutes turned to three hours and it wasn't until her growling stomach awakened her that she released she had overslept and sat straight up in the bed.

_"Oh my god! I knew I slept to good! What time is it? Why didn't Lucinda and Lucy wake me up? Why are they not bleating?"_ She splashed her face with cold water from a bucket to get rid of the rest of the sleep. Still in her nightgown, she rushed out to the goats. _"Have they run away again? Has the wolf been here and killed them? Oh god please!"_ She still remembered poor old goat Bernard. He got lost in the forest and the wolves had taken him-- she found him half torn to pieces not far away; the head was the only thing the wolves had spared. Poor Bernard!

But when she reached the barn, she saw the goats sitting on the grass and enjoying the warm sun. She relaxed and took a deep breath, -"Thank God", I thought you were out again and got lost in the woods!" She placed her hands on their heads and scratched them. "Why didn't you wake me up, you always do! Did you think I needed more time in my bed? You little mischiefs! she laughed! But she stopped when she saw the two buckets of milk next to her door. She hadn't noticed them when she rushed out.

_"Who has milked the goats? It couldn't have been Mrs. Bovary or one of her children. They wouldn't walk early in the morning to just milk my goats, and without saying hello. A beggar? Maybe a beggar has been sleeping in the barn over night and in return milked the goats!"_

She took the buckets and walked in. She placed them on the table, took a cup of milk and started to walk in circles, thinking. _"But my cottage is too far away from the main road, and the beggar would rather sleep in Bovary's barn than mine. It doesn't look like anyone has been sleeping there!"_ She held her arms around her and looked through the window. She had the same feeling she had few days ago when she found the mushrooms. The day after, when she was visiting Mrs. Bovary to thank her for the lovely mushrooms, Mrs. Bovary just shook her head.

_-"Sorry, Laura! I did not borrow the goats nor leave any mushrooms on your doorstep."_

_"But someone did, Ester! Could one of the children have done it?"_

_-"I don't know, I think they would have told me or just given the mushrooms to me. Maybe you have a admirer!" she teased softly._

_-"Don't be silly!" Laura sneered, "Who would have a crush over me?"._

Laura turned her head from the window and blushed.

-" An admirer"?

--

The strange things continued. Before she got out of bed, her "admirer" would have either milked her goats, chopped the wood, or taken care of her garden. These things did not happen every day; only when she didn't have time-- she had a lot of things to prepare before the winter. Collecting food for the goats, stoping her old wornout shoes and winterclothes. Whenever she left home to pluck some berries or visit Mrs Bovary, there was always something on her doorstep when she came back. Either it was basket full of berries, mushrooms, a hare or herbs.

Every time she got very confused. Even though it helped get her things done faster, she couldn't help but shiver. Still, she accepted them. The presents looked so innocent in their handmade baskets, as though someone had made them with extra care.

Who could it be?


	4. Pierre

**Creature and the Maiden- Chapter 4**

-I don't understand Ester! He, she or whatever it is still putting small presents on my doorstep, helping me milk the goats, and cutting wood for me. And no matter how early I get up to get a chance to see who this "admirer" is, he is always faster than me.

Sometimes he doesn't come at all, so I have to go out and milk the goats myself. And this has been going on for three weeks!" Said Laura in a frustrated tone while she helped Mrs. Bovary with her sales.

They were in the nearby town and Laura was helping Ester at the market to sell her sheep's wool and Laura's homemade cheese and herbs. Their shop was small compared with the other shops, but it gave some income.

Laura went with Ester and her husband once a week to sell her cheese and herbs. She was an excellent herbalist; maybe not professional, but she knew how to care for deep injuries, fever and burns, and knew of some herbs that induced deep sleep. She had learned it from her long dead grandmother Isabelle. Every time she entered the village, all the noise of the big market deafened and frightened her, and crowds always made her uncomfortable. She was glad that she had Ester and her husband Toby. After her grandmother's death, Ester has always been kind of second grandmother to her.

-That's very strange, but when I was your age, I too got some very sweet presents by a handsome admirer. Wildflowers tied in crowns, love letters that made me blush, and caramels on the window sill. But of course, I had a slight hunch as to who it was, and It wasn't long before my 'prince' revealed himself.

Ester chuckled and gave her husband Toby a soft smile, and he smiled back and gave her a kiss on the cheek. The Bovarys were old but still had 5 five children to take care of, and were still very much in love -- even if it had grown more down-to-earth.

- It could be be one of the boys here in town who has a crush on you! I bet it's the butcher or the baker's son!" Ester's husband chuckled.

- And how would they know the way to the cottage? The way is hard to find and my cottage lays deep in the woods. And if it is the butcher or the bakers boy, wouldn't I get a steak or a pat on the back, like they always do with the other beautiful ladies? Laura snorted. The presents I get are just berries, mushrooms and sometimes a hare. No love letters nor chocolate!

- You're right!" Ester's face turned very serious. "This has keep going too long, this "admirer" could be a dirty old man, a rapist, a thief or a murderer! He may break in to your cottage in the middle of the night and rape you!!"... Oh my god...

Her normally merry blue eyes now held a glint of concern and suddenly she took Laura's hands in hers and stared straight into Laura green eyes.

-Laura! You may have heard this ten-thousand times but I'm saying it again! I want you to come and live with us in our house! A young girl like you shouldnt live all by herself in a cottage. I'm worried that something will happen to you, and I promised Isabelle to watch over you! You are only 17!"

Laura sighned and shook her head and gave Ester a sad smile.

-And I keep telling you -- I'm doing fine! It's my grandmother's house and I promised to take care of it and the goats. It is my home! Besides, I don't want to burden you, you have five kids to take care of." Laura squeezed Ester's hands in hers and gave her a big hug.

But Ester was not calmed by her words. She saw Laura as a daughter, and when Isabelle, her dearest friend, died and left Laura all alone, she became even more protective of her.

-I understand you're worried but I can defend myself! she took up her small but razor sharp dagger from one of her pockets and showed discreetly to Ester. "I'm not scared! only suspicious and curious! No one is going to scare me away from my home, and I want to know who it is! What I need is a plan!"

The discussion of moving out from the cottage was over. Ester shook her head and continued to take care of her customers. After a while, Laura rose from her seat, placed her straw hat on her head, and pulled her scarf around her shoulders.

-I must go and buy some supplies, I will be back soon. Please look after my things!

Ester gazed after Laura as she walked to the stores. Her clothes were simple and far from the latest fashion, but she was the most beautiful girl in the town.

She outshone even the upper-class ladies with her beauty. Her hat was worn very low so nobody could get a glimpse of her eyes, but the way she walked, with such grace and attitude, it was impossible for people not to notice her. Her walk and dialect betrayed that she hadn't lived all her life as a peasant girl.

_"But beauty isn't safety from harm and sorrow. It may give you some advantages, but it can also bring trouble: jealousness, vanity,unwanted attention, covetous glances and lechers. __She looks so much like her mother; she's getting more beautiful every day, such a smart and sweet girl...poor thing._

Ester sighed and suddenly with a harsh voice said:

-She needs a husband, Toby! She's 17 years old and a young woman like her shouldn't live all by herself in a small wood cottage in the middle of the forest! Haven't you seen how the boys in the town look at her? Something may happen to her, I'm worried Toby!

-I Agree with you, Toby muttered while he carved a small wood figure. "She needs a good husband! I was in the pub lately and I heard Pierre with his fellows talking about her, and he said with a boastful tone; 'It's such a pity that she lives all alone in the forest after that witch died, such a pretty little flower! Maybe she needs some company, someone to hold her at night!' and that idiot laughed!

-What a pig! Ester grated her teeth and looked like she was going to beat someone. Toby contuined. "I told him to stay away from her, that she was not one of the little bimbettes he's always playing with. But he just laughed and told me I was an old fool.

- What did you do?

- Nothing! I didn't want to cause any fight, even I wanted to, so I left the bar. He's the mayor's son, Ester!

- Mayor's son or not! He deserves a slap on the cheek! You are such a coward, Toby!

- Coward maybe, but I'm not a fool! But don't worry Ester, I know some good boys you can introduce her to.

-Sooner the better! But first we need to figure out who this "admirer" is!

--

-There she is. Pierre whispered as he stood apart from the crowd of the market place with his servant Duncan.

Laura was unaware of his wandering eyes and his lustful hunger as she walked through the market stands and examined some vegetables. She was hiding under her straw hat, but her red hair betrayed her. She had successfully avoided him ever since she ran into him in town at the butcher shop. He had glared at her and rudely stared at every part of her body without any shame and said,

"What a fine piece of meat you are, how much cost a pound?"

He had meant it as a compliment but she didn't like it at all. She had gave him a hard slap on the cheek and rushed out of the shop. No one! No one had ever slapped him on the cheek before! She should have been overwhelmed and given him a kiss, like the others girls. Instead she slapped him and said he "looked like a gorilla in a fine suit." He, a gorilla! He was the handsomest man in the town. Strong, muscular, long dirty-blond hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones and sharp chin. He is every girl's prince charming. No girl has ever insulted him or ignored him.

All the girls in town adore him and would do anything to get his attention, except Laura.

Thats why he wants her.

--

She had moved to the next stand where a salesman sold fine garments in beautiful colors. She hesitated and gently stroked the fine silks. She imaged herself in a beautiful deep green gown with laces. When she was young she'd always wore fine silk dresses, and most of them were green. Green had always been her favorite color-- it was warm and positive and fit perfectly to her green eyes. The salesman in front smiled at her, knowing she couldn't afford such a garment, but let her continue stroking the silks. It is not wrong to dream, even if you cant afford it.

Suddenly, a voice from behind her interrupted her dreaming.

-A beautiful woman like you deserves a beautiful dress like that to make her more marvelous and radiant, don't you think?

She turned her head quickly and saw straight into Pierre's mischievous eyes. He was standing tall and showy with his fancy clothes and his all-too-tight pants, and his companion Duncan by his side. "And maybe a pink silk ribbon to your long red hair."

_"Pink ribbon to red hair! Is he colour blind? Yuk!" _Laura thought and tryed to get away.

Suddenly he took one of Laura's locks and played with it in his hand.

-"Let me buy this dress for you",he whispered with a seducing tone. "You would look ravishing."

Laura's eyes darkened and smacked away his hand from her hair. "No thank you, a peasant girl doesn't wear fine gowns and jewelry. Where should I wear it? In the garden? Buy this dress for someone else; maybe Catrina, Sofie or Frida!"

She started to walk away as fast she could but Pierre followed her and continued to talk. "It must be very difficult to live all by yourself in that old worn-out cottage, and it must been very lonely after your precious grandmother died. "Tell you what! Why don't you move down here so you don't need to be alone, I have a nice room where you can stay."

If eyes could kill, he would be dead in a second, because Laura saw straight into Pierre's eyes with a burning look that made him back away.

-I can take care of myself, I don't need any charity! If you excuse me, I must go back to Mrs. Bovary, she is waiting for me. she said coldly.

She hated Pierre's arrogance and rude behavior. Ever since the episode at the butcher shop, she had been avoiding him. She heard about his reputation and didn't want to be one of his little "charities"

-By the way! Are you the one giving me all the small presents recently? It had suddenly hit her. Could Pierre be the one placing the small baskets at her doorstep and helping with the goats and her garden?

-What presents? Pierre wondered. "I haven't left any presents, I don't even know the way to the cottage!"

_"Thank god!"_ Laura thought. "_If he knew the way to my cottage, he would never leave me alone."_

-What sort of gifts? He asked sharply, eyes flashing with jealousy._ "Someone had taken a fancy to her, and knew where she lives?"_

-Small baskets with berries and mushrooms, she said calmly. She didn't tell him about the goats and her garden; she had seen his face and she didn't like it.

Pierre relaxed and laughed teasingly, "Mushrooms and berries, what sort of gifts are those? No chocolate or flowers?" His companion Duncan joined in the laughing, as he always did, no matter what the laughter was about.

_"Mushrooms and berries, pooh! Then I have nothing to worry about, it must be a dumb peasant boy."_

-Oh Laura! If you let me visit you, I could give you more than the sour berries your peasant boy gives you. That fool must be very poor, can't afford a single rose for you. You deserve much more!

- Haven't you heard, it is the thought that counts, no matter how big present is! Laura said sharply. "I like my gifts, no matter how small they are! And if I ever see your ugly face again, you will be sorry!

She ran as fast as she could, so she didn't catch a glimpse of Pierre's furious face.

-How dare she! _"She has no idea who she is talking with! I will take care of you, but first I must take care of your silly admirer-- he doesn't know who he is playing with. No one can touch my property without paying the price!_

--

She didn't tell Ester about how Pierre tried to seduce her, or of his revolting suggestion that she move into the town. She would never move into the town, never! She was laying in the straw halm in the wagon, looking up into the sky while Mr. and Mrs. Bovary drove. They were on their way home and the sun was setting. The sky was colored in red, yellow and pink; it was a lovely autumn dusk. They were talking with her about a nice boy they knew named Johan and how nice it would be if they could meet and talk to each other. But Laura was only half listening. She was thinking about Pierre and the admirer. She didn't want to worry Ester about her problems. The admirer problem was enough. She had at least promised Ester to live in their cottage when the winter came. It was one thing to live alone in the cottage in summer, but in winter she would be completely isolated by the snow, and it would be impossible reach Ester and Toby if she needed help.

She wasn't afraid of the admirer but she couldn't help feeling this had turned a little bit creepy.

_"Maybe Ester is right! It could be a rapist or a psycho from the town... but then he wouldn't leave gifts on my doorstep! This is weird. I have tried to spy on him from the window and from the door but it didn't work. __I have hid in the barn but that didn't work either. I have stayed awake all night to get a glimpse of him. The only result I got was nothing and the goats and garden untouched. I need more plans. This is getting very annoying!"_

When they reached Bovary's home the sun was almost set. Ester asked Laura if she wanted to follow her home a bit.

-Thank you Ester but it's not necessary; the sun is still up and the cottage is not far away, I will reach it before dark. Don't worry! she replied.

Ester gave her a long look as she entered the forest and disappeared in the darkness.

She had seen Laura walking that way many times and it have never worried her much before, but she couldn't help but shiver this time--beacurse she wasent the only one who was watching Laura...


	5. Alone in the forest

**Sorry it has taken such a long time, I have been very busy and have tons of schoolwork I need to take care off. You all know how it fells! But dont worry, I have been thinking about you! **

**I want to say thank very much for your kind reviews, it really cheers me up and helps me to continue with this story. As you already know I dont own Frankenstein story, it belongs to Mary Shelleys and Hallmarks production. I absolutly recomend to see this movie. The movie is one of the closest to the novel (except some few changes). The makeup of Frankensteins monster is absolutly perfect. **

**Thank Flameshadow117 for helping me with the spell and grammar checking!**

**Enjoy!**

**Creature and the Maiden chapter 5**

As she walked through the forest, she noticed it was getting darker and darker for each minute. The air was cold and chilly, and she pulled scarf tighter around her. The forest was silent, the only sounds were the wind blowing through the trees, an owl howling far away, and her footsteps. She had walked alone this road many times before but she had never felt that someone was watching her. Every shrub and shadow seemed to have eyes, and the tree-branches looked like big claws hanging over her, ready to grab her and slice her in pieces.

But the road was still visible by the moonlight and she had borrowed a small lantern from Ester so she could see were she placed her feet. The lantern comforted her, making her feel not so lost and alone. To lighten up her mood, she hummed a small song she had learned from her father. Grandmother Isabelle, besides her scholarly instruction about the healing powers of herbs, the use of spider's web and frog tongues to calm fever, and how to stop bleeding and relieve the pain by using Seed Poppies, had taught her many different songs. Isabelle taught her all, from verses to long folksongs. Though they always helped Laura when she felt sad or alone, her favorite song was the one her father always sang to her when she was a little girl.

She sang the song in a soft hum.

_"Don't give up loving someone, your suffering will go away someday. __Don't give up feeling for yourself, Your kindness, strength and even your weakness. I've been watching and protecting you, and I will until the end of time. As the dawns comes, the dreams goes away, Your happiness and sadness will become true."__  
_  
Suddenly she stopped singing-- she could swear she heard a hoarse humming sound. It was the same sound she heard when she was washing her linen weeks ago. That time she thought it was her imagination but now she was not sure... She turned around and gazed into the darkness behind the trees. All she could see was darkness but she knew that someone was watching her.

"Who is it?" She tried to be calm but her voice was trembling. Her body was tense and she breathed very slowly and listened very carefully. How she wished that Ester would be here so she wouldn't feel so alone and vulnerable. The shadow in the darkness seemed to hesitate to show itself.

_"It could be a animal, maybe a fox or a doe?"_ She grabbed her dagger from her pocket at pointed straight towards the shadow. With the dagger in her hand she felt more protected and her fear disappeared. She hold up her lantern to see more clearly.

_Yeah! It must be an animal._

"I'm not afraid of you...come out from there or I'll stab you!" Her voice was steadier and harsh. If this was an animal it will probably be afraid of her voice and go away. It has always worked when a hungry animal was after her goats or the garden.

But the shadow was still quiet and the the watcher didn't move a inch from his spot.

Suddenly she heard another sound, someone was coming directly towards her. She listened carefully. It sounded like horses... and it was two, riding very fast. She turned her head from the darkness and focused on the road. _"Who could it be? Ester or Toby? But they only have one horse and that old fellow doesn't run so fast. Who is riding in the forest at this hour? Perhaps a lost traveler?"_

She took a deep sigh, feeling not so much alone anymore, maybe they could give her a ride home_. "That would be very comforting."_ Laura lowered her dagger and walked towards the riders. But then she heard a voice and stopped.

"I'm pretty sure she took this way, I saw her when she entered the forest for a while ago so she cant be far away!"

"Be quiet you stupid idiot! Do you want to wakeup the whole forest, damn I hate these woods!"

_"Pierre! Oh no! That stupid Duncan must have followed our carriage from a distance and saw when I entered the forest. Damned!"_They had found the road to the cottage, trying to find her home, and they were coming straight towards her! She forgot the stranger in the darkness, blow of the lantern and started to run as fastest as she could. But it was already to late.  
They had already seen the lantern and the were coming straight towards her.

"There she is!" Pierre shouted. "Laura wait a second!"

_"I must mislead them, if I continue to follow this way, I will lead them straight to the cottage, I cant let them find it" _Laura thought desperately.

The roads in the forest were squiggly and it was easy to get lost, but she knew some secret roads she could use, the only problem was the darkness. Sun was down and it was nearely dark; the moon was up but it was barely visible by the clouds. Yet she had no choice! She took another road which was more scrubby and difficult to ride, and slowed her steps a little so they would be able to catch a glimpse of her.  
They saw her and took the road she had chosen, but they found it difficult to follow the track and had to ride slower. Laura smiled wickedly and continued to run. For a while the hunting continued, Laura took many different small roads and lead them further and further into the forest and far away from the cottage.  
Like a doe, she let them get a glimpse of her, but when they almost close enough to grab her, she quickly disappeared, hearing Pierre muttering many nasty words about her. Even her clothes and the darkness helped her to hide. She couldn't leave the road, if she did, she would easily get lost in the forest.

--

The Shadow was, of course, the Creature. He had followed Laura when she entered the forest and he had walked closely behind the trees. He kept his distance, just following her lantern so he wouldn't lose her. Walking in the darkness in the middle of a forest is very dangerous. Even though she had walked in the woods many times before, he wanted make sure she reached her cottage safely. Thanks to his constant watching, he had managed to keep the hungry wolves away from her.

When Laura visits the town to do her shopping, his nerves get tense and he gets very worried-- afraid that it will be the last time he'll see her; that she's never coming back. Seeing her return is a wonderful sight, feeling she's coming back for him, even if it was wishing thought.

When she's gone he always takes care of her garden and her goats. At first the goats were very suspicious of this stranger and his odd appearance, but they got used to him and always welcomed him. But they didn't bleat when he was near, knowing if they did he would place his big hands on their mouths and keep them shut. But he never went inside her cottage, that was her privacy and he respected that. He hadn't spied on her through the window or the door again, like he did the first night. The fire he felt when he watched her through the window has getting stronger and he knew he would do something very stupid, like showing himself, if he did that again.

He kept his distance and made sure she didn't see him. But the last few days she had been extra watchful, she had tried to get a glimpse of him by hiding inside the barn or spying through the window. But he was always one step ahead. He couldn't let her see him. If she did, she would probably scream and run away and send the people from the town after him. Even though she probably was the kindest person in the world, he wasn't sure her kindness would extend to him. The peasant family were warmest people he ever meet, they took care of and loved each other. The old man and the sweet girl Eva had shown respect and kindness to him, but that was because the old man was blind and Eva too young to understand what she saw. Laura was neither blind nor a child. He couldn't risk it! When he followed her to the cottage, she started to sing that wonderful melody he heard on the first day he met her.

Such a wonderful but sad song. Without thinking he walked closer to her, enchanted by her voice.  
_"It must be what they call magic! So wonderful and hypnotic! God! If you exist or even care just a little about me, help me!"_ His eyes filled with tears, he was so near that he could almost reach her and hug her. His dark voice started to sing along with hers.

She stopped singing and turned her head directly were he stood. He froze on the spot, didn't dare to move a muscle. _"She sees me, what should I do! Why didn't I shut my mouth?"_  
"Who is it?" She whispered. She didn't see him, he was completely invisible.  
Quickly she drove up a small dagger from her pocket and pointed straight to him. "I'm not afraid, Come out from there or I'll stab you" Her voice has turned very sharp and her eyes burning. That sweet innocent maiden had turned into a dangerous amazon, ready to fight for her life.

Many thoughts ran to his head. Should he reveal himself, show who he really is, the one who has given the mushrooms and taken care of her goats. How would she react? Turn her face to fear, scream, run away or stab him with the dagger? He had never been so afraid in his whole short life. The Creature open his mouth to say something but couldn't make a slightest sound from his dark lips. She moved the lantern closer but still she couldn't see him, he backed away from the light.

The salvation came by sound of the horse riders, she turned her head back to the road and started to walk fast towards the sound. Creature took a deep breath. "That was close."  
But suddenly the girl stopped, she seems to listening, then she blew out her lantern and started to run as fast as she could in opposite direction, took a different road than she usually took, and quickly disappeared. At first Creature was very confused.

_"Whats happening? Why was she running?"_ He didn't catch were Laura went because everything happened so fast. The riders came closer and it was two men. One was very handsome and well dressed, probably what people call a aristocrat, and the other look more like a skinny rat with with two big teeth. He heard the handsome one saying;  
"Are you sure she took this direction?" with a slurred tone.  
"Yeah, I'm sure of it? Pierre...why cant we do it tomorrow when it's light! We can ask the Bovarys where her house is!"

The men seemed to be pretty drunk, the one called Pierre found it very difficult to remain on his horse, while holding his bottle of wine, looking like he was going to fall every second.  
"Are you stupid! This maybe our only chance to see were she lives! That stupid Bovary bitch dosen't want to tell where she lives, nor does her fat husband." said Pierre with a snickering voice. Then his voice became very sleek and soft.  
"Besides, a fair maiden shouldn't walk in the forest all alone at night. The big bad wolf migt catch her and eat her up!" He laughed teasingly and then his voice turned very cold. "I will show her who she calls a gorilla."  
They passed Creature without looking at him, they took they road Laura had picked. When they were gone, Creature came out from the trees. He clutched his fingers and growled. His eyes burned with hate_."How dare he talk like that about her."_

He didn't like Pierre at all, nor his companion. Even though Pierre was handsome, there was something in his eyes Creature didn't like. Lust and greed.  
No one is going to hurt Laura, that he would take care of!

--

She moved very quickly and placed her steps very careful, so she wouldn't stumble on any root or break a branch.  
"This must be how the fox feels when she has a bunch of hunting dogs after her," Laura thought. Her condition was great but she felt herself getting weaker and her lungs heavier after running for what felt like hours. She needed to hide somewhere to catch some breath. She slowed her steps to get a glimpse were she was and if there was somewhere to hide. She listened for Pierre and Duncan. They sounded very far away.

_"Perhaps they got tired of following me and went back to the main road. Phew! That was close!"_  
She collapsed on a rock to catch her breath, shaking uncontrollably. Laura had dropped both the lantern, her basket and scarf on the way, so she was both tired and freezing. Her dress was soggy with mud, her hair was full of twigs, and her feet hurt after running so long. And the worst thing was, she didn't know were she was! It was dark, the moon was completely hidden behind the clouds, and there were no stars to orient her. Now she felt raindrops coming.

"Perfect..." she muttered, and brushed her hair away to remove some sticks. She observed the environment and saw she was near the mountains; her cottage was not far away but the rain has started falling heavily, and she heard a sound of thunder.  
"There must be a cave somewhere were I can get some shelter!" Laura looked around. _"If my sense is right, I must be near the old bear cave I used to visit when I was a little girl. I Hope I can find it before the thunder comes."_

Her patience paid off. She found the cave hidden behind some bushes and it was a perfect place to rest. Laura smiled and walked in, hoping there wasn't any animal living there. The cave was small, but big enough to walk upright in. She noticed the ground was covered with dried leaves, furs and old blankets. In the middle was an extinguished bonfire.  
_"Someone must be living here! I don't remember putting all these blankets around here before."_ But she had no intention to leave. Her body was shaking from the cold rain, and her dress and jacket  
were soaked wet.  
"I hope he doesn't mind if borrow his home for a while, I cant go out now!" She found some firewood and managed to start a small fire.  
She took off her clothes and placed them near the fire to dry them. With only her linens on, she wrapped herself in an old big blanket and dropped herself in what seemed to be a bed. Laura clasped her arms around her and glanced outside. A loud, rumbling clap of thunder was heard. She gave a little yelp and moved closer to the fire.

At times like this, she truly wished that her father and grandmother were still alive. Laura felt tears start to develop at the corners in her eyes as the thought of them. It was at times like this when she truly felt alone in the world.

Then another bolt of lightning lit up the sky, she began to count. When she was a little, Grandmother Isabelle had told her that you could figure out how close the lightning was if you counted the seconds in between the time you saw the flash and the time you heard the thunder.  
The fewer seconds in between the two, the closer it was. She barely got to six when thunder sounded. It was very close. Nestled into a warm cocoon to get away from the sound, feeling safe and warm, away from the world outside, she went to sleep.

With no idea whose cave shes sleeping in!

--

**The lovely song in the text is from the anime serie Earthian-"Mother". You can find it on youtube!**

**Reviews Please!!**


	6. Hurting the innocent

Creature and the Maiden chapter 6.

New update of my story Creature and the Maiden, Thank you for your patience. I have been very busy with my school and job, so I havent got time until now to write. Thank you all for your kind reviews!

I want to say thank to geckogirl for helping me with the grammer. You Rock!! :-)

--

While Laura was sleeping, Pierre and Duncan had reached the center of the forest, neither having no idea where they were in their attempt to try to lure her into a corner.  
They had split up and taken each road so they could grab her easier but the eagerness to find Laura had long vanish and left only the desire to find the way out from the woods.  
Their clothes were soaking wet and Pierre was cursing madly.

-"Shit, shit and shit!! Where in the hell am I? Where is the main road? Duncan! Duncan where the hell are you!!" he yelled with all his every ounce of breath he could retain.

_It's all her fault, that redhead witch. Does she not realize whose shes playing with. She should feel honor that I care for her._ (Don't get yourself mislead. The word care has a whole different meaning in Pierre's head.)

On the other side of the forest, Duncan found himself feeling just about scared to death. He was so cold, the storm had come from nowhere and with ferocity he would have never expected. But nonetheless he continued further into the trees, the only thoughts that ran through his head were going home, to bed where he could wrap himself in warm sheets, with steel under his bed.

He had heard that the forest was hunted. That trolls, fairies and ghosts lived here. Not that he believed those stories but now he wasn't so sure. Goosebumps had spread all over his body, not  
because of the rain, but because of the feeling that someone was watching him.  
The bolt of lightning and harsh clap of thunder startled Duncan from his place on his horse, causing the horse shriek and jerk him off to the ground, forcing him to land on a soft spot of mud and dirty water face first. And to top it all off the horse ran away, leaving him all alone in the darkness.

"Bastard!" He coughed with mouth full of leafs and mud. "Come back here right now!" He stood up, all covered with mud and leafs, looking like a drowning rat. He tried to get rid of the mud off his face and clothes, it only making him dirtier, not to mention the rain which did him much good.

"Shes not worth this effort! Why can't Pierre chase a pretty girl in the town instead of the redhead?"  
Another lightning bolt came hurtling from the sky and Duncan couldn't help to whimper. The lantern slipped from his fingers; the horse was gone and Pierre far away. He only had his small dagger in his pocket to protect himself.

" I-I want to go home, want to go home, want to go home...mommy."(He's such a crybaby.)

Suddenly he had a odd feeling that someone was watching him, he glanced up and saw a dark shadow over a cliff, towering over him like death himself. For a moment they looked at each other, the sound of rain splattering on the ground and the Duncan's teeth-chattering could be heard.

"P-Pierre, Is it you?" Duncan stammered, feeling smaller and smaller every second. The shadow remained silent.

"Oh- come on Pierre, I-I know it's you, youre not f-fooling me this time! Ha ha ha, very scary!" Duncan said trying to sound brave, but only resulted more like a whining peep.

Lighting came and the whole forest was in light and Duncan got a glimpse of the dark figure on the cliff. Tree branches whipped in the wind, dark and menacing. The sky was black, no stars to be found.  
A scream echoes through the night dark forest, reaching Pierre's ears.

"Duncan!?" he yelled, turned his horse and started to ride towards where the scream came. It didn't take him long before he saw Duncan coming out from the bushes, running towards him with hands up and mouth open, yelling like a madman. He rushed towards Pierre and clasping hard around Pierre's horse, shaking like a leaf.

"Duncan, Duncan! What hell is wrong with you"...

"A TROLL, A MONSTER, A DEMON FROM HELL, WE NEED TO GET OUT HERE NOW,NOW, NOW!!"

"What in the name of god are you babbling about, what Troll?"

"HES AFTER ME, DO YOU HEAR ME, WE MUST GO!! THERE IS A TROLL IN THE FOREST!"

His scream ended when Pierre hit his foot into Duncan's nose, kicking him to the ground hard-so hard everything spun around him. The man's nose was broken and was starting to bleed.

"Get a grip of yourself! You idiot! There are no Trolls in the forest! You're only seeing things!" Pierre snarled.

"But I-I-I saw, its true! I-It stood like a man, it was very tall, eight feet I think, and it was covered in furs and It had dark yellow eyes like a werewolf and big sharp claws, ready to rip me to pieces!" whimpered Duncan.

"Nonsense! You must have seen a wolf or something, there is no trolls or any pixies here, know get up here so we can find a way out from this damn forest.

"It was no wolf, it was a Troll! I swear! And he was trying to strangle me and eat me, I managed release myself from his grip and I through my dagger on him, I-I-I think I hit him on the face."

Pierre looked on Duncan's pathetic form and turned his to look from where the man had come from as he took up his gun, loaded it and started to move.

"Alright, if there is a "troll" chasing after you I will take care of it; show me where this thing is!"

"No, no, no I won't go back, I won't, please!" –

"Is it because you don't know where thing is or all this is from your imagination, Im starting believe the later."

"Im not lying, Its true. This thing is huge and it had long ugly tail, big claws, big horns and instead a left leg, he had a leg like a goat!" yelled a more hysteric Duncan, in the midst of madness.

Movements were heard in the bushes behind Duncan; a twig snapping. Without blinking, Pierre pointed his gun right over Duncan head, straight to the bushes and fired two shots. A small whine heard and after few seconds, right before them, dropped a small deer from out from the bushes, with a big hole in the chest. They both stared at the dead body.

"Whats it gonna be Duncan next?," said Pierre calmly. "First you said he was a troll, then youre saying his the devil himself! And now he has turned into Bambi?"

"No but this is not..."

"Youre such a coward! Now get up, were leaving and shut your mouth until we are out from this woods, or else I throw you off and let Bambi's mother have you."

Still whimpering Duncan quickly got up on Pierre's horse, holding him very tightly while they started to move. Soon the rain and the thunder had stopped, the air was frigid and fog was beginning to appear. They had no idea what the time was, but they guessed it was around midnight

After a little while they found the main road and they were heading straight towards the end. Duncan started to relax a little.

_"Maybe hes right! I must have hit my head really hard and just imagined all". _But he still kept looking behind his back sometime, making sure there was no monster after them. Pierre speeded up his horse a little. Even he didn't believe an inch of Duncan story, he couldn't help to shiver.

"Must be the rain" he muttered.

Suddenly Duncan started to shake like mad. Pierre sighed, "Here we go again, what could be possibly be know? A Goblin?"

"P-P-Pierre, h-h-hes right beside us, I can see him! l-l-look!"

"Duncan, Remember what I said! Its only your imagination, just shadows, bushes and animals", said Pierre tiredly. He should have leaved Duncan at the bar, instead having him here, seeing monsters and trolls everywhere.

"Next time I walk alone, and in daylight"

"Im not kidding Pierre!"

"Remember what I said Duncan!"

"BUT HES BEHIND THE TREES! LOOK!!"

To calm his hysteric fear, Pierre took a quick glance over his shoulder.

"Im looking Duncan! There is nothing the"...He paused, couldn't believe what he saw.

"What the hell..."

At first the figure was too distant for Pierre to be able to make out any details, but as it came closer, he saw that the figure was as a very large man, too large. It was moving across the ground at a colossal speed in a run that was a strange mixture of clumsiness and grace, and it was moving closer and closer.  
Pierre face turned into white, he had never seen such a creature before; it was much bigger than him and its muscles enormous. He couldn't help getting chocked up. That was a troll alright. He came back to himself seconds later and in the next moment he emptied the pistol with all its bullets into the creature's body.

But his hand were shaking, so many of his bullets missed, except one which hit the creature's arm just before he was about to attack them, and it gave a loud cry, bringing one hand to his left arm where the bullet hit.

Pierre got down from his horse, and pulled out a big knife from his pocket and began to run straight at the creature.

"Die your freak!" he screamed with a battle cry and he was going to thrust his knife into creature's chest. But Creature's right arm appeared to be fine as well as the rest of the body, making him able to move fast away from Pierre's knife, and quickly grab his arm with the knife and pin him down.  
With a flick the creature broke his arm and made him drop the dagger. The only sound emitted from Pierre's lips was a sharp cry of pain. It pressed his enormous foot against Pierre's chest and pressed him down. The man could hardly breathe as he stared up into creatures face.

He couldn't see so much of the face but it looked as if it had been sewn together from different bits of skin and held a pale tone. It also wore coats and furs around his body, which looked more like a second skin compared to the large, intimidating cloak he wore. He couldn't see the creature's eyes but he had a feeling they were glowing with hate.

"Oh my god," Pierre said whimpering. He had never been afraid in his all his life.

"Duncan, help me! Please"

But Duncan had fainted in fear and was lying on the ground and could do nothing for his master. The creature moved closer to Pierre and with a harsh voice he started to talk, strangely in French. _'It's speaking French? Is this the language they speak in hell?'_ Pierre thought in panic, even though he couldn't speak or understand a single word of the language, he could hear the immense anger that resided in the creatures tone and that he was angrily threatening him.

Then he heard something in the creature's speech that made him react.

_"What!? What did he just say!?"_

Suddenly they got disrupted when a gunshot echoed through the forest, causing the creature to glance up to see who it was, leaving Pierre the opportunity to move to his unwounded hand to the knife, grasp it and in desperation stick the vengeful object straight into the creature's right leg. With a scream, it quickly removed his feet from Pierre chest, the knife still embedded deep in his flesh.  
Shivering Pierre started to back away from him, still staring at him with fear. The Creature grabbed the knife and swiftly removed it from his leg, as the wound started to bleed deeply. He glanced down at Pierre body and moved closer with the knife in his hand. But then the sound of a horse coming was heard. A man with horse was indeed heading towards them.  
The creature threw away the knife and fast as he could with his wounded leg, he dashed off into the woods leaving Pierre gaping.

The guardian angel was none other than Toby Bovary, Mrs. Bovary's husband.

"I found Duncan's horse in my yard and then I heard gunshots by here, what's going on?!"

Pierre laid on ground in disbelief at what just happened to him, his face was white and his arm broken. But Toby's voice brought him back to reality.

He gazed up into the man's worried face, still not able to say a word about what had just happened a few seconds ago. Everything went spinning in his head.

"I...I...We got attacked by a bear"...

"A bear! We don't have any bears in these woods?"questioned Toby wondering.

"Well, we have bears now!" with a big forced laugh, standing up from the ground, sweeping off the dirt from his jacket, trying to look unaffected.

"A very large bear, it was after our horses, but I took great care of him with own hands and scared him away with my gun. That bastard will have some trouble sleeping tonight with his ass full off bullets."

In the view of Pierre's hard labor of standing on his feet and the smell of alcohol from his breath, Toby questioned his bravery and his easily doubtable story of this bear.

He looked down on Duncan's body, all covered in mud, with a broken nose and blood in his face.

"What about him, is he alright?"

"Oh Yes, very fine, he just went unconscious when the bear tried to attack him." He said, his story being half true.

"Why are you two here in the forest in the middle of the night", Toby asked suspiciously as he narrowed his eyes staring into Pierre's.

"We were waiting for someone", Pierre said calmly, ignoring Toby's look and focusing on removing leafs from his hair.

"Waiting for whom?"

"We was waiting for..eeeehr...that is none of your dammed business peasant!" Pierre shouted and the discussion was over. He had no interest to tell Toby about his plans to capture Laura; which (unfortunately) had failed because of the bad weather and the quickness.

Silently, they picked up Duncan from the ground and laid him over his horse and started to move out from the forest. Toby had no interest to talk Pierre after his rude behavior, but he had a slight idea why Pierre was here and what he was trying to do, but he kept it to himself. He decided to tell Ester afterwards.

After Toby had led them out and showed them to the safe road towards the city Duncan started to wake slightly up from his deep sleep.

"Ouch! What happened?" Then he suddenly remembered!

"THE MONSTER!, were is it? Did you kill it?!" He turned around scared, as if to see if the creature was lurking somewhere.

"Be still or you fall off again", Pierre muttered, his face very stiff and concentrate. "No, I didn't kill him; he ran away like a little rabbit before I got the chance."

He was still humiliated by the creature's power over him. How easily he beat him down the ground with just one hand, standing his foot over and made him whimper like a baby.

"Hes still alive! Oh my god! We must wake up the mayor, the townspeople, the priest. We need call a exorcist! Many Exorcists!"

"No we are not!"

What!! Are you crazy?" Duncan was staring at Pierre if he had gone insane. "We have a monster in our forest!! That thing will hunt us down, pull us into pieces, burn down our village, kidnap and eat our children. He was going eat me!!"

"Will you please shut up! I have my reasons."

"What reasons?" Duncan said sharply."Are you mad!"

Pierre stopped his horse, his hand shot out and grabbed Duncan's shirt as he stared straight into his eyes.  
"I will tell you when I have figured out some things, until then you keep your mouth shut about  
this creature." Pierre hesitated.

"Do you speak or understand French Duncan?"  
"Uh, well a little..."

"What does the word aimé means to you?"

--

The Creature moved slowly in the darkness, his arm was hurt but was not that much like his leg. The knife had made a deep wound in his leg and he had trouble to moving it.

First he was worried if the man on the horse were going to hunt him down, but when he heard they were moving away, he took a deep sigh of relief. His plan was just to scare Duncan and to make sure that they never placed a foot again in his woods. But seeing this handsome but awful man shooting down a poor baby deer without a blink, made him shake in anger. What a heartless man could do that to a innocent animal? After they moved away the Creature with sorrow and anger in his heart took care of the poor deer's body and buried it next to a old oak, placing a small flower on its grave.

That moment he wanted to hurt Pierre badly, but his anger made him clumsy and he didn't give a thought to protecting himself and staying invisible to humans. That cost him a wounded leg and arm, but more wounded was his soul.

He didn't know what came on to him, this violation and anger. He only wanted to scare them away but seeing this treatment to an animal made him shiver in rage. Now that they knew his identity they could hunt him down like an animal and kill him.

But he was more worried about Laura, where did she go? She had run so fast, and he didn't see where she went.  
Finding a person in the middle of a rainy dark forest is extremely difficult, like finding a needle in a haystack. But to find this person and in the same time not let this person see you or know your presence is more difficult. And this idea does not include two women chasers with the same idea who are riding like mad man around the forest. Hopefully, she must have reached her cottage or fled back to Mrs. Bovary's house before the storm came. It was now over but it was still raining gently and the freezing cold was beginning to get to him.

He ripped a piece of his cape and tied up his wound to prevent losing more blood. He wanted to find Laura but his whole body was hurting. He had no more strength and he was very tired because of the loss of blood and the running around all night in bad weather.

Up ahead in the darkness, he saw a small glow of a fire, his cave was near. 'Thank God!'There were a few glowing embers left in the fire that lingered after he left it. He would of never found it if they went out.

Even if the midnight has passed and the sky was beginning to getting lighter, it was still dark and cold and sleeping out in a cold weather is not tempting. Thinking of fire and a warm bed, he stumbled forwards to the light; he could hardly keep his eyes open. The cave was dark and little chilly, but the fire was glowing and gave a little bit of warm and light.

Without taking off his wet clothes or look if there were any intruders, like a fox or a wolf in the cave, he throw himself down to his was so called bed and pressed his dark head into the furs. The only in his mind was to sleep and not fell the pain, hunger and yearning for companionship. More than ever, he wanted someone to hold him, take care of his wounds, warm him…  
love him.

He felt so miserable and lonely. He felt a bump beside him, thinking it to be bunch of blankets. Half unconscious, he wrapped an arm around the bump and draw close to him; an Image in his mind of it to be a human he loved.

Too bad for him, he was unaware of the presence a certain person which was starting to move out from her cocoon under him.

--

Are you wondering? I hope you're wondering something by now... why not review and let me know what you're thinking of this chapter. Reviews Please!


	7. Brief Happiness

**Sorry it has taken such a long time to update, but I have been very busy with my job and homework. I know some who has been waiting very patiently. I thank you for your kind reviews and for your support. I also want to say thank you to Flameshadow117 for helping me with the spelling and the grammar. **

**Creature and the Maiden chapter seven:**

**Enjoy!**

The sudden intruder in the bed, she was sleeping and the heavy weight over Laura made her wake from her dream, a very unpleasant dream...

_The scenery laid place in a dark and cold room. Candlelight was everywhere but it didn't bring any warmth or comfort, only increased the dark atmosphere that seemed almost to swallow the poor little girl._

_She was sitting in front of a large table. Her body looked so small when she sat at the big chair, her foot barely reached the ground under her. On the table laid a piece of paper, the language was unknown to her, the only thing she understood was the name of her father "Captain/Journeyman James Dubios" written on it._

_While sitting on the chair, a man was walking around her. He was dressed with rich fabric of clothes, and wore a white wig on his head, which didn't fit at all with his clumsy body He looked more like a pig with a wig! But instead of the large kind eyes pigs usually have, the man had a rather greedy and filthy look._

_-"As you can see, your father took a deep risk to invest in this ship, thinking he could save your home and clear off all his debts. But unfortunately when we heard that his ship was hit by a storm and sank at the Caribbean coast with everything in it, including...with my deep sorrow"...He took a deep breath, trying to sound remorse, "...your father"._

_Little Laura looked like a small statue on the chair, her face was pale and her eyes red and empty, the only thing that was moving was big tears rolling down her cheek._

_The man took a quick glance at Laura's small form, to see if she was still in presence and continued._

_-"So we have no choice to confiscate your father's bank account, and some of his furniture to pay his dept but..."_

_He walked closer to her, he bent to her side and gazed up to her red eyes. One second ago she looked like she was in another world, but when she heard the man's ominous word "but", she winced._

_-"Unfortunately after a closer investigation we have found out that your father's debt was much larger than we expected. That he had been cheating from his company and had taken big loans, and then gambled away every penny on poker and horses... Probably hoping to win the big money._

_Laura starred up on his with big disbelief in her eyes._

_-"It's a lie! My father have never been a gambler or been cheating! Yes, he had a little trouble with the company, but he has never cheated or lying!"_

_-"Not to you maybe, but to us, the bank and to me! So we have no choice to confiscate your father's mansions and everything in them, I'm sorry!"_

_She rose up quickly. Her eyes filled with confusion and fear._

_-"The Mansion! No, not the mansion! Look Mr. Crottington! We have still our land and our fields. I can work off the dept, just please don't take the mansion!"_

_-"With what? You don't know how to work, you have no money and your servants are gone because you haven't paid their salary!"_

_-"But I thought it was the housekeepers job?! I had no idea! How about our investments? The papers!"_

_-"Useless. They are no worth, but you can keep them as memories."_

_Laura fell down the ground, choking with tears._

_-"B-ut where shall I go? This is my home! Both my mother and father are dead, I have no one else."_

_Mr. Crottington stood beside, looking down at the small innocent child. A great spark flicked in his eyes while looking at her. He reached down and stroke her hair softly, she unaware of his presence..._

_-"Hush hush, don't worry my dear. It's all set up. As your father's lawyer and friend I will take all the charges and pay off his debts and his company."_

_Laura looked up, her eyes sparkled with hope. "Oh you do that! I get my home back, I don't need to leave! Oh Mr. Crottington, How can I ever thank you!"_

_-"Not so fast! I said I will take care of you father's debts, but in return I must take your father's mansion as a repay, But don't worry," when he saw Laura choking look._

_-"Because I pity your miserable fate and your loss of your parents I will be your guardian. I heard you have no relatives except for an unknown grandmother somewhere in the country, with uncertain...reputation. You have met you grandmother have you?"_

_-"Yes, but only once, but It was many years ago. She likes to live alone and far away from people."_

_Mr. Crotttington wrinkled his eyebrow. "Alright, So instead of sending you into poverty and an uncertain future, you will move in to my family and be my ward. All I ask in return is respect, helping with the housework, obey me, my wife and son."_

_While he was talking his hand had moved from her hair and slowly moved his hand on her arm up and down, Laura thought the touch was very unpleasant but she didn't move an inch, just starring at Mr. Crottington with her mouth open. Feeling her brain turning into ice._

_-"But remember if you don't act like a lady I will have no choice to send you to Mrs. Lowoood's boarding school, you certainly have heard about her. A very nice lady I think!_

_He gave her a big icky smile, showing his dark yellow teeth. Laying a hand on Laura's tense shoulder, it started to move slowly down to her chest. Mr. Crottington whispered in her ear. "Don't worry, I'm not so coldhearted as you think I am... all I ask is obedience..."_

_She quickly backed away from Mr. Crottington and frantically tried to get away. Mr. Crottington snatched her left wrist tightly and pulled her toward him, his eyes cold and triumphant. He grabbed her and held her very tight. Laura tried desperately to release herself from him, feeling him snuggling in her hair and hot breath against her skin. He held her so tight, she couldn't breath at all._

_-"No, no, NO! It's just a dream! A dream! This is not real, Stay away...please!! Father, Father! Where are you!!"_

Gasping for air from the sudden pressure from Creature's body, Laura woke from her terrible nightmare, her body sweating and her fists tightly clenching the blankets. She was still in her coccon and in the cave, far away from Crottington and Pierre.

_"It was only a nightmare,"_ but still Laura's heart pounded hard in her chest. As her trembling slowed and her breathing evened out, she became aware of the heavy weight over her, someone holding her body very hard.  
_"He had found me, it isn't a dream. He had somehow found me, I hadn't escaped after all!"_ She thought, her mind still stuck between dream and reality. Her body wriggled out of her blankets, trying to get out of the clutches of her attacker, her hands vainly tried to push away the arms around her. When she moved away the sheets from her face and rolled away from the thing. The bed guest grabbed her waist again and pulled her towards him with her back against chest, so she was unable to see his face. She felt him rubbing his nose into her hair, which made her more uncomfortable. She laid still, feeling the stranger stroke his face in her hair and touching her arm smoothly. She could hardly breathe and she was unable to scream.  
_  
"It is Pierre? Has he found me? Oh God, Please help me!" _  
Turning around slowly to see who the intruder is, she gazed directly into a pair of deep blue eyes, then her mind went blind...

There was a movement below him. He felt the soft bump, his source of warmth, roll away from him. The Creature shivered when he didn't have the warmth source with him. Half-conscious, he clawed at the bump and pulled it back to him. He felt it stiffen, but he didn't care. When he touched it, the softly scented warmth that he longed for. His nose started to rub what (what he thought) it felt to be very soft fur. Hardly aware what he was doing, he gently rubbed his nose in the warmth and stroke his hand gently over a strange soft material, suddenly coming contact with bare soft flesh.

Finally, when Creature became aware of this fact, his mind started to register that he was actually touching something or someone. He opened his eyes, lifting his head to peer down into a pair of green wide open eyes.

_"Laura..." _

He couldn't believe what he saw!

Had he finally become so mad of the bloodlust and the loneliness, that he started to imagine things? She lay there beside him. Her hair hung wild around her beautiful face. Even though her hand clutched the blanket at her chest, one shoulder was still exposed, and laying there was his hand. He tore his eyes from the exposed flesh and when his eyes met hers again, they were all blank.

-"I'm dreaming…" Creature whispered, but he realized that was all wrong when Laura's horrified scream echoed through the whole cave.

She had just seen a glimpse of his face, but that was just enough to make her scream all she could, pulling herself away from the strange man. And like a rabbit, she jumped off the bed, still only her linen on, she was heading straight to the opening. But just as she had reached outside, she felt a pair of strong hands encircle her waist and start pulling her back into the cave. Laura started to scream all she could. Her scream dug into him like a dagger and fear started to grow inside him.

How did she get here, why is she in his cave and especially in his bed??

She tried to twist violently away from her captor. But she got nowhere, for the large muscular arms that had her were so inhumanly strong. To silence her, he placed his hand over mouth, but only resulted Laura got more free air and started to kick with all her strength on Creatures legs, and got a nice strike directly on Creatures injured spot. In the same time taking a huge bite of his palm in her mouth. The Creature let out a surprised grunt at the unexpected attack and felt the stab of pain from his already injured leg hit him and the feeling of Laura's sharp teeth sinking deep in his flesh. No longer able to endure the pain, The Creature arms released its holds on the girl. She moved away from him, pressing her back against the wall. She picked up a big rock from the floor and held it up as a weapon.

-"Who are you? What do you want from me?" she shouted trying to be brave, but her shaking body betrayed her.

Suddenly she became aware that she was wearing only her linen, her clothes were still laying on the floor, so she was practically naked. Aware of the new situation, she felt more vulnerable and she clutched her other hand against her chest. She couldn't see his face from the shadows were he stood, only a few meters from her, blocking the entering. He was so tall and big that she felt like a small mouse in front of a big hungry cat.

This was not the way he thought to introduce himself-- actually, he had planned never to do it. His mind didn't reach further than to just be her protector and secret friend. Like he was for De Lacey's family. The only difference was to never show his ugliness to her as he had for them.

Sometimes he had dreamt of meeting her face to face, see her lovely smile and green eyes staring up at him. He had dreamed to hold her in his arms, stroke her soft red hair and kiss her red lips.

But it was only a silly dream. This was reality, she was facing him right now, her body shaking with fear and her eyes burning with terror. He remembered how the girl's father had hit him with the stick when he had told him that it was he who helped them with the firewood. How the father gave him a disgusted look and hit him more with his stick.

Will she do the same with the rock? Will she give him the same look? How is she going react when he tells her who he is and what he has done for her? What if she rejects him? What should he do?

He dreaded with all his soul.

He wished he had never seen her, washing her clothes, singing and smiling. He should have turned around and tried to find his "father" instead of spying on the innocent girl and imagining things.  
Staring over at the frightened girl, unsure of what to say to her to assure that he wouldn't harm her in any way, he took a deep breath and started to talk.

-"There are so many things I want to say." His voice sounded weak, like he couldn't control what was coming out of his mouth. "So many feelings, I want to convey to you."

She heard him begin to talk and she realized that he spoke perfect French. However, Laura could feel that something wasn't quite right. He was exceptionally tall, taller than any man she had ever seen. Still with the rock in her hand, Laura inspected her strange man. He was covered in many layers of fur and old fabrics around his body like a beggar, and he had shoulder-length black hair. The rest of the body was still in the shadow, careful not to let the fire highlight the rest of his features. She remembered while she was close to him in the bed, that he had big scar on his forehead and deep blue eyes looking down at her.

_"Who is he? What is it he wants with me? Is he trying to rape me, kill me? Eat me?'_ Laura's imagination was running wild. The strange man's words didn't make any sense! Did she know him?  
Maybe he is a beggar and hes living in the cave?

-"Please…let me go," Laura said in a low almost inaudible voice. "Please let me go, I wont tell... just dont hurt me"...

-"I wouldn't hurt you! I would never do that Laura!" Creature said softly. But just as he said her name she froze on her spot. Every muscle in her body went tense and still.

_"He knows my name, He knows my name!?" _

-"How do you know my name?" She shouted, clutching the rock tighter in her hand.  
Creature started to panic, he didn't want to frighten her.

-"I..I...Just do, I heard it from the man, the man on the horse!"  
"What?" Laura whispered, her eyes staring straight into his with suspicion.

The poor Creature started to panic, he moved closer to her and without thinking showing his face into the light of fire.

When she saw his hideous features. A gasp escaped her lips before she could prevent it. If she lived to be one hundred years, never would Laura forget that sight. She had never seen the like of it. His face was horrific!

Laura could not hold back a scream that echoed through the entire cave.

-"No please, stop screaming! I mean no harm!"

Creature, frightened of Laura's scream, moved forward and grabbed her shoulders to calm her down. But then he felt great pain smashing his forehead and blood was pouring down his face. Laura had grabbed the rock and tossed it right at his face. Not wanting to waste any time, Laura pushed herself away from him and ran to the opening. With a quick glance behind her, she saw the creature lying on the ground, moaning in pain and agony. Then she grabbed her feet and ran as fast as she could away from him.

The Creature, unable to stop her, laid there on the floor, half blind in pain. Not from the wound on his forehead or the two Pierre gave him, but from his broken heart and his hope to be loved forever lost...  
He started to whimper and tears started to roll down from his cheeks as he laid there on the cold hard floor.

Alone and miserable...

Laura ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Her breaths were heavy and erratic but that didn't stop her.  
She could barely breathe but stopping to rest wasn't an option. Her only instinct at the time was to run the fastest she had ever run before. Trees and loose branches seemed to mockingly reach out from their places to block her way but she didn't let that stop her. The only source of light she had was from the upcoming dawn and the pale moon shining over her. But it was bright enough for her to see where she placed her feet and after a while she found the main road to her cottage, getting to Mrs. Bovary's home was far away from her mind. All she could think of was her home.

Tired and exhausted she reached the main gates. Her linen was covered in dirt and her feet were bleeding. The morning air was cold and dizzy, and seemed to burn her exposed skin like an icy fire. She had forgotten to take her clothes with her and they were laying in the creatures cave.

"He can keep them! I must tell Ester and Toby, We have a monster in our forest! And he was laying in my bed, well actually, in his bed! Touching me, stroking my hair and arm...so gently...I need a rest... need sleep...what's that?

When she was stepping her foot on her front yard, she saw the small straw-basket, laying there innocently on her doorstep. Full of mushrooms as always.  
-"Oh my god…"  
The truth came over her as she picked up the basket, her head spinning in all directions.

-"It can't be possible...It just can't be..."

She stepped into her cottage, still looking at the basket. But after a few steps, she collapsed on the dark wooden floor. Dropped her basket and spilled all the mushrooms over the floor.

The last thought in her mind was a pair of blue eyes, looking down at her with sadness, tears and hope in its iris.

**Dont Worry! This is not the end of the story, I will update soon with more, I promise! ;-)**

**PLEASE REVIEW WHAT YOU THINK! I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS STORY. IS IT GOOD OR BAD?**


	8. Confusion and sadness

**Creature and the Maiden chapter eight.**

**Again, I`m completly sorry that it has taken so long to update. School need to come first and I`m trying to take my final exam in "Cultural Studies" course. Thank you very much for your patience. Many of you have begged me to update new chapter and here it is at last. **

**You are very welcome to review my story and discuss about the book and the movies Frankenstein and your opinions, especially Hallmarks Frankenstein, wich I love and think is the best adapted Frankenstein movie. It always fun to hear someone else thoughts of this poor creature. Who`s the villain, Victor or the Creature? **

**I would also like to hear what you think of my writings skills. I`m trying to improve my skills and I can see, comparing with my early scripts and the latest, it seems that I have improved a little. But still need more pratice. Less Swenglish! I`m very grateful for "geckogirl" for helping me with the spell and the grammar, without you I have would never reached so far! Thank you again!**

**Here it is: **

**Creature and the Maiden chapter eight:**

"Stand back, she needs water!"

Laura felt herself pulled upward towards consciousness as rough hands lifted her head. She felt a warm cup pushed to her lips and sputtered as warm water flowed into her mouth and down her unwilling throat. Eyes still closed she pushed the offending hand away.

"I-I'm awake. I'm awake!" she said, sitting up, flailing her arms in order to remove the unknown hands holding up her head and shoulders. She opened her eyes to the bright sun, squinting as she attempted to take in her surroundings.

She noticed that she was lying on a large, warm bed and a blanket covered her sore body. The only face she could focus on was of the woman who held the cup of water, Ester Bovary, surrounding her was Toby and their five children.

"Oh my, dear! Thank god you`re awake, I was so worried about you!"

"Ester?"

"When I heard that Toby found Pierre and his stupid little companion outside the woods last night, I told him instantly to go to your home to see if you were alright. And when he came back, he was carrying you unconscious and in pieces himself."  
"My poor girl, look at you. Where in god's name have you been? What has he done to you?"

Tears started to show in Ester's already tear-stained eyes as she clutched her hand over her mouth, trying to repress further tears, the other hand clutching the cup with a death grip.

"Please don't cry! I`m alright; I managed to run away and mislead them in the forest! He didn't do anything. I had just dropped my hat and basket on the way when it started to rain… I was sopping wet and then I found a cave and..."her voice started to collapse as her memory became blurry.

"Shhhhh...Take it easy, calm down. There's no rush. Here take a sip, you need it." Toby took the cup from Esters hand and gave it to Laura.

"Yes, thank you," she said, taking the cup from him then forcing the liquid down her dry throat. She finished it, coughing a little, and handed the cup back to him.

"I'm alright, really," she repeated, moving to stand up. Unfortunately she felt herself dropping down again on the bed, her legs unable to support her.

"What happened to your clothes and your shoes? Look at your poor feet," asked Ester worriedly.

Laura looked down at herself, despite the sheet wrapped around her body, she wore nothing but her linen and it was partially torn in pieces. Her arm and legs was covered with scratches and stitches and her hair was in mess.

But more so her mind was more of a mess than her hair. She was so dizzy that she couldn't remember how she ended up on the floor. Trying to focus, despite her headache, the only thing she could remember was when she had left Ester and Toby by the cottage, walking in the woods then when Pierre was chasing her.

"I don't know...I remember something about a shadow, the rest is all black." Her head felt like there was a whole circus in it. She must have hit her head it really hard when she fainted. After laying her head back on the soft pillow, she closed her eyes a little, and her body started to fall. She was drifting of to sleep again when Toby started to talk to her, his voice sounding serious.

"Laura, this may sound odd but I need to know something. You see, before I found Pierre and Duncan, I heard a terrifying noise in the forest and I heard someone screaming about a devil –a monster. When I found them, I saw Duncan lying on the ground unconscious and Pierre with bruises and a broken arm; like he had been in a fight," he said then paused for a moment.

"He started to rant about how he had fought a big bear and he saved Duncan's life; which was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Not to mention he stank of whiskey and could barely stand on his feet. But drunk or not, someone had really knocked him out and I really want to know who! What I want to say is; did you hear or see something or… feel like you were being watched back there?"

Laura's eyes widened and for a moment, just as Toby mentioned the strange meeting with Pierre. She was suddenly bombarded by memories of the past few hours. She flinched remembering of a pair blue eyes looking down at her and arms holding her tightly around her waist; someone with grey skin and scars. He had tried to explain something and she had thrown a rock at him, and then seen the small basket lying on her doorstep when she reached her cottage.  
_  
"I..I...Just do, I heard it from the man, the man on the horse!"  
_  
"Laura? Are you alright"? Ester asked worriedly.

Even though her French was a little bit rusty, from not using it in many years, she had perfectly understood what he said. The gifts couldn't have been a coincidence, not to mention Pierre's well deserved punishment; and then the meeting with him.  
It couldn't be two different people. Duncan's screaming of the monster fit perfectly of her reaction of her bed-guests look.

His face...His eyes...

Laura felt herself fade from consciousness once again.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He was still lying on his bed, soar and bleeding. He hadn't been able to move since Laura's disappearance. The injury on his head had stopped bleeding, but dried blood was still covered his forehead and face and the bullet from Pierre's gun was still lodged in his arm. It had started to become a very bright red and he was sure it would become infected.  
It felt like it had a pulse of its own, and with each pulse came more pain and more suffering. Even his body was boiling hot and he sweating- he shivered. Right after Laura run away, he had first cried and then fainted from the enormous pain on his forehead.  
When he woke up again, the first thought was that it had all been a bad dream. But he realized then, the dream was real- a memory. His clothes were still damp from the rain but he didn't care anymore about how he looked or felt.

"It`s true then. She hates me; she ran away," the Creature cried out loudly, tears flowing from his exhausted teary eyes and down his pale cheeks.

How much time would it take before she told the entire village of his existence and chase him with the intent to end his miserable life? He hoped it would be soon...

-------------------------------------------------------------

"It was him..."

"Who, Laura?" Ester asked.

Resting her chin on her knees, Laura`s eyes focused through the small window next to the bed, looking at Esters garden in front of her. The potatoes had already been picked and the garden now lay empty and gloomy. Not much to look at but Laura kept on looking. Her body was still and unmoving. She had stayed in Ester's bed in three days. She had caught a slight fever and wasn't, at first, able to move until the third day. Her mind was quavered.  
First from the horrid meeting with Pierre, then the night's storm and frigid rain, then the shock of her meeting with her host. Laura had no words or names to identify his appearance and she had tried to push away the memories. But the harder she tried, the more vivid the memories became and the more details she remembered about him.

_What is he?_ Those three words kept floating through her mind and shook her to her core.

"I saw him... I met him Ester!"

"Who?" she asked once more. But Laura's look and her sound of her voice told her everything. Ester gasped, sitting down quite suddenly beside her.

"The admirer?!" she questioned though she already knew the answer.

"When, did you meet him in the forest- before or after Pierre?" asked Ester looking at Laura with a puzzled look. She had been worried about Laura's vulnerable situation.

Because of this she had talked to Toby about moving Laura into their home, so she would no longer need to be alone again. So much had happened these past few weeks that now it seemed her suspicion was true.

"Who is he?"

Laura massaged her aching forehead. It all had came so fast that she had thought it nothing.... and that made her afraid of her own security and her life.

"Before I heard the horse tracks I felt someone was watching me...but I didn't see anyone. It was after I got rid of Pierre I met him. I...we... I had into him...He told me strange things, that he knows my name and then he said he had heard my name 'from the man on the horse'. He must have meant Pierre or Duncan. It must be same person!"

Suddenly she moved to next subject.

"Ester, before you knew it was Toby that had given you your presents, did you dream of who it could be?"

Ester gaped a little at Laura's odd question.

"What`s kind of question is that? Of course I knew it was Toby all along; clumsy as he is!"

"Yes, but...but when you knew it, were you disappointed it wasn't someone else?"

"Laura, Are you sure you`re alright?"

Laura growled putting her head on her knees.

"He looked horrible; I have never met someone like him. His skin was gray and covered in scars and stitches and the clothes were made up of furs and old clothes. And he was huge, almost eight feet tall! I have never seen such a tall man in all my life."

"Oh my...it must been awful! What happened? Did he hurt you?"

"No, when I tried to run away, he grabbed my arms. It was then I saw his face I screamed and hit him in the head with a stone that I had grabbed. After that I ran straight to the cottage and passed out."

"Are you sure; I swore you were bleeding but couldn`t find any injury. You must have hit him very hard because you were all covered in blood, looking at you linen."

Ester pulled Laura's dirty old linen from her basket of clothes. Except for the mud, it was covered in dried blood. Laura looked at the blood curiously.

"That strange, I didn't think I hit him that hard."

"He deserved it! That might teach him a lesson." Ester tossed the cloth back in the basket and turned back to Laura with her hands on her hips, looking very serious.

"I knew it! I knew this would happen. I told you, time and time again, that it's too dangerous for you to live alone. I have warned you about this and I told you the strange admirer could be anyone and might taking the opportunity to hurt you when you`re living all alone."

"You say you`re doing fine and can take care of yourself. But look what happened last night! You got chased by Pierre and then got almost sexually assaulted by this creature. I know you`re a rational person and you would like to be independent but you can't live like this forever."

Startled at her Esters sudden outburst, Laura argued. " But this was one time. Next time I will be more prepared. Grandmother and I lived all alone and no one told us it was wrong and no one hurt us."

"That`s because she was old and you were just a child and Isabella have lived alone all her life, that was her nature. And let me say to you that you are too naïve to think that Isabella had an easy life."

"Because she was called a Witch?" Laura whispered looking back at Ester. "I already know that!"

After a long pause, Ester finally answered. "Witch is too harsh a word, she was odd but also my best friend and she knew a lot. You are just a poor peasant girl, with no connection, money or relatives. Except for me and Toby, no one in the village would lift a finger to help you if Pierre did this again."

"Don't forget this creature in the forest. Pierre is very powerful and has connections that you could never imagine. I want you to move in to our house and live with us. Toby and I will help you to find a decent husband you will provide you with love, protection, and a home."

Ester's argument was wise and reasonable, No one would help her if this happened again and she had no idea what have become of her "admirer", if he still out there and waiting for her. The village saw her as the "witches" grandchild, beautiful but odd. And after the incident she no longer safe to walk alone; neither in the forest nor the town.

"All right! You win, I`ll moving in. But on one condition I decide who is going to be my husband. No playing matchmaker with me, please."

"I promise" Ester smiled and gave Laura big hug and walked back to the stove and continued to cook.

"I will talk to Toby and let him take care of this creature. It's probably some beggar or a runaway soldier, who's living in the forest and has nowhere else to go. Pity it is but there is nothing else to do if it keeps stalking young girls. By the way, we are going to have a guest tonight...you know Mr. Barthes and his son Jakob, right?"

With a moan Laura tossed a pillow right at Ester Bovary and moved the blankets over her head, so she wouldn't have to hear anymore of Esters speech.

But she couldn't stop felling a bit guilty. A short flashback was coming back from the stormy night...  
_  
"There are so many things I want to say. "So many feelings, I want to convey to you."_

Outside, small snowflakes was started to fall and was beginning to cover the ground around the house and forest. Winter was coming...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Few days earlier.......

"Ouch...be careful! Are you trying to take my arm you clumsy fool?!" Pierre shouted when Doctor Saussure was bandaging his arm. As a habit he gave Duncan a smack on his head to control his anger.  
Duncan, who was not as seriously injured as Pierre, with just a bruise on his head, got a new one by Pierre's big hand and got tossed down to the floor. They were at old Doctor Saussure's medical store getting Pierre's arm bandaged.

"W-will y-you please calm down and not hit him or I'll need take care of his injures again," said Doctor Saussure uncomfortably while finishing Pierre's broken arm.

Like many other people in the town, the clumsy doctor held a great respect but also fear of his patient's reputation and power.

"You arm will be fine in couple of days, just take it easy and don't lift any heavy weights. " Pierre looked down at the babbling fool before him through slanted eyes.

"You better be sure! Or else I will ruin your reputation as a doctor and make you close your store!"

"Of course sir, your arm will be just fine; I'll give you salve you can put on your arm. It must have been a huge bear to have given you this injury, it`s a miracle that you managed to chase it away and save Duncan from its claws. You`re a true hero" He babbled, feeling icy-blues eyes piercing into him, making him smaller and smaller with each word.

"I was so close. I had her, but she ran off. Next time I won't show any mercy and then she will be mine."

His thoughts were not all about Laura, but also the monster himself. It was the first time someone had beat and made him cry like a baby. He was just lucky no one heard or saw him, laying on the ground and crying for help. He had managed to stab the creature on the leg but he took off before he had the chance to stab him in the heart. He had never felt so humiliated in all his life.  
Both the monster and Laura are going to pay what they did to him. He clenched his right fist trying not to hit Duncan again or the pathetic doctor. Saussure gulped and moved backwards not daring to ask if he meant the bear or someone else.

"You're the best hunter in the town and I'm sure you will get her. Just to make sure you arm will heal faster I give you the best medical salve by the great Miss van DuBios. He rambled, trying to impress his patient with fine words.

Pierre wrinkled his nose and gazed up at Saussure's sweating face.

"Are you trying to impress me with fine words and a fine title of a nobility, you fool. There is no one in here in the town who`s wears such a fine name. 'Miss Van DuBios'!"

"I-I didn't mean to, I`m just using Laura's last name, her name is Laura Van DuBios and she is a very good herbalist and I always buy her herbs to take care of wound and injures. She's almost good as her grandmother, so the salves really work."

Hearing Laura's name, dark images started to form in Pierre head. She is the only woman who hadn't been seduced by his"sensual" voice and charm. The girls in the town competed for his attention but she did not.

That enraged him to no end. He wanted grab her, rip of her clothes, take her violently; make her whimper, beg for mercy until he was done with her and throw her away like a used towel. He would rather smash her salves, made by her own hands than using it. But Laura's last name made him curious.

"Van DuBios, I thought her last name was Galinette like her grandmother. What I heard she is a bastard child from her mother and an unknown drunken sailor and then dropped off her daughter to her."

"Well not really, not many know this but Isabella Galinette is Laura's 'great' grandmother not just grandmother."

As much as a bigmouth as the doctor was, proud of his voice and his "knowledge" he started to talk without thinking what he was doing.

"What I have heard is that Isabella's daughter Rose Galinette ran away with a sailor and bore him a child, Laura's mother Lillian. He treated her badly and they were very poor but they were decently married. Because of her beauty, Lillian herself got married to a rich noble and bore Laura and got the name Van De..."

Pierre wasn't paying so much attention to what the doctor was saying, however, something he said made the man hitch.

"What was that last bit you said?" he demanded.

Doctor Saussure swallowed, the confidence he had was gone .

"I`m sorry, I just wanted to make it clear why Laura's last name is Van DuBios and not Galinette-"

He couldn't finish his sentence, for at that moment Pierre`s left arm shot out and grabbed his throat.

"I didn't ask what you meant to say, I want to hear exactly what you did say about Laura's parents," said Pierre, as he released his grip slightly so the man could speak.

Doctor Saussure gasped for air and continued.

"I don't know so much of her parents; all I know her father was a rich merchant. Her mother died when Laura was very young and the father was in a shipwreck. As far as I know there were no relatives on the father's side and both Lillian's parents were dead, so she moved to Isabella's home. Neither Isabella nor Laura used her last name often, so everyone thinks her name is Galinette too."

"And how do you know it then?"

" I know because she signs her last name on the receipts when she`s selling her herbs and medicine to me."

"So Laura is Laura Van DuBios and not Galinette. What more do you know about her father's business?"

"I don't know, this is all I know. Please let me go"

Pierre let go of the doctor, his face set in concentration.  
"Are you done here?" He asking pointing to his arm.

"Yes, "Doctor Saussure answered, as he rubbed his hand over his throat. "Just take it easy and use the salve I gave you. Use one by morning and one by night."

Without a word of thanks, Pierre got up and left the doctor's house with Duncan, as Saussure breathed a sigh of relief with no idea what kind of mess he had created and what kind of plan was forming in Pierre's head.

**What do you think? Review!!!**


	9. Cold Snow

**Creature and the Maiden ch 9** **by ~eitherangel**

**Apologizes for the long wait...I now it been a long time last I updated. Still stuggeling with my studies and job. Not Easy!**

**Thank you for your kind reviews, you are very welcome to send me a message and tell me what you think of the story, or if there something I should add or change! Dont be shy! **

**Many thanks to "Geckogirl" and "Flameshadow117" for helping me with the grammar and spellings and for loving it!**

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creature was still lying on the ground, thinking back to his first memories of his father.  
He had never understood his father's intention with him.

Why did he create him?

He abandoned him and left him in the attic all alone.

He remembered when he opened his eyes first for the first time, laying half naked in an old rusted tub, cables stuck into his grey flesh and long needles puncturing his arms and legs; the first he saw was his father's shocked face close to his. His eyes widened with surprise and terror, like he never expected him to come alive! That only lasted 10 seconds before he drifted back to the darkness.  
He was so close to moving back to the dark abyss forever, and forgetting that he ever existed; but he was already too much alive, and he was forced to wake up again. It felt like his body was being smashed to pieces and sewn together again—actually, it was. He rose up from the bathtub and placed his first step on the cold floor. He wasn't able to walk straight without stumbling. When he first saw his creator laying on the floor unconscious, he tried to wake him up by shaking him on his shoulders. His father woke up and gave a terrified scream and started to throw books at him. His weak legs couldn't hold him up very long and he tumbled back and crashed down into a couch. Victor, his father, with pale face and only wearing a nightshirt and boots, rushed out from the laboratory, never take a second glimpse of him. That was his first memory and he would never forget it.

Tears leaked down his cheeks as he finally got up out of his bed and walked haltingly to the edge of the cave. He looked down at the forest below him.  
If he could climb a little higher, he may fall from the cliff and end his life. He saw that the snow had gotten heavier during the past few nights, and had slowly covered the passage of the cave. The fire had died a long time ago, but he didn't care. The furs gave him some protection from the cold though it wasn't much. Autumn was gone and the winter had come, his first winter. At the outset he had thought the snow was beautiful, how it covered dead leaves and trees like a white blanket and it gave a beautiful vision of the landscape. But then he felt the temperature fall and the biting frost, then it wasn't nice at all.

He looked down at the clothes Laura had left when she ran away. It was a simple blue dress with long sleeves and small pockets, small jacket and worn out shawl. He took up the dress and examined it. The dress was small and had been repaired many times. He rubbed his cheek on it, the smell was still there but the opportunity was gone. He could easily understand her reaction and confusion when he tried to tell her who he was, and when she saw his face. He didn't expect anything, the chances to be together with her and to be a part of the society were none, and it would never be.

How could he be so stupid! Suddenly he hated her! Hated that her smile and gentleness were bestowed on everyone else but him, hated that her beauty had bewitched him, hated her red hair and green eyes, and hated how she had formed his ideal woman. Hated how she sometimes visited him in his sleep and lured him with promises and a seducing smile, hated how his body had responded to it, how he woke up with great fire in his body and there was nothing to stop it except revealing himself. Afterwards he felt both relieved and ashamed of what he had done and wished he never were a man. Despaired and angry he started to rip Laura's dress in pieces, in just few seconds he imaged it was her he ripped. He wanted to shred her clothes into a million pieces and burn the remains until there was nothing left. But just he had started to rip; a necklace came out one of the pockets and dropped down to the floor. A Necklace! The chain was simple but the pendant was oval shaped stone with silver texture around it. The color of the stone had a strange mixture of blue and green, he couldn't place the color it but it was very lovely. He didn't know that Laura possessed such a beautiful necklace. The stone looked to be worth a lot of money.

_"It must be very valuable to her"_. On the back of the pendant he saw a small inscription:

_"To my precious one"_

Tears started to flow again and he grasped the necklace in his hands. He looked down at her dress, tattered and torn in pieces, by his hands, monsters hands. Slowly he went out, his right leg was still hurt and he grimaced from the pain. But he already made up his mind what to do. Something he should have done a long time ago.

Operating with lightning speed, her hands flung object after object behind her, with no thought to where they landed. Her eyes glanced back and forth over her scattered belongings in her chest. The room was a total mess, everything was upside down, clothes were shucked and cast away and the bed was overturned. The table was a mess and her clothes were everywhere. One of the thrown objects went straight into Ester's forehead just as she came in through the doorway. It smacked her right between the eyes.

"Ouch!" she yelped, rubbing the red mark it had left behind.

"Is this your way of packing?" Laura stopped and turned around and looked at Ester.

"Sorry Ester", she said and returned to throwing stuff, but turned around again to face her dear foster mother.

"Ester, have you seen my necklace?" Laura asked and, looking around the floor, down under her bed and under the table again.

"What!"

"When you said you hadn't taken it off when you were tending me, I thought I probably had left it here, but it's not here! I have searched everywhere and it's not here!"

Because of the fever, she'd been too tired to notice that her necklace was gone. Now she saw it was missing, she had searched every corner of the cottage to see if the necklace was here, she had checked inside, outside, and in the barn, but it was gone.

"The one with turquoise stone?" Looking around Laura's mess Ester shook her head, "No I haven't!" ,and began tossing Laura's personal belongings into a box she was caring.

"Maybe you dropped it when you were running?"

"No I did not" She slumped into a chair, put her head in her hands and sighed. "Oh my God!"

"What it is?"Looking up at Ester with wide eyes "I think I left it in the cave...with him!" Ester went down and placed her hands on Laura shoulders when Laura tried to run out.

"Calm down Laura, you can't go there by yourself, not in this weather and not alone."

"The necklace is all I have left of him, I can't loose it" Laura said through tears that were threatening to fall from her eyes

"We will go to the cave after the wind has calmed and with some of the men from the villages! There is nothing you can do except pack your things."

Looking out through the window, watching the snow failing. "I think we better hurry, pack most of your belongings, we'll take care of your furniture another day." Ester said and shrugged.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Snow covered the ground and the trees and filled the sky above him. Big, fluffy snowflakes drifted down, landing wet and cold on his hair and clothes. It is hard to say exactly how long it had been between the time when he went out from the cave and was on his way to Laura's cottage, his head was spinning and his wounds were stinging. The world was spinning around him. The lungs in his chest burned and when trying to take deep breaths he started to cough. The trees supported him to stay up while he moved through the thick snow, holding Laura's necklace very tight in his hand. Finally he was near Laura's cottage; saw Laura's neighbors' wagon, and Ester putting Laura's belongings in it. The goats were bound to the wagon, bleating for being tied up.

Just as he thought!

She has decided to move in with the Bovary family and there was nothing he could do about it. Has she told them and the village people about him yet? Probably! At least she will not be alone anymore and she is safe from that awful man, he will never hurt her again.

He moved behind some bushes and continued watching Ester as she walked in again. The goats seemed to notice him and bleated happily at him. He smiled back and waved, even though they were goats. Laura emerged with Ester, she looked on the ground around her garden, seemingly in search of something. But she gave up and climbed up to the wagon heading back to the Bovary's home.  
Creature came out from his hiding place and walked slowly to the gateway. Snow had covered the whole garden and the cottage. It seemed so deserted and cold; no lighting came from inside the cottage and no sound of goats to welcome him.

It was so quiet.

He walked to the door and looked in through the window. Her bed, the table, some jars, and dried herbs were all that was left. The rest was gone with her. He placed the necklace on the doorknob and left it there. It was the last thing he would do for her. The necklace must be very precious to her and it was probably what she was searching for. He turned back and out though the gateway, took at last glimpse of the cottage and then walked back into the woods, while the snow was falling over him.

It was hard to walk through the snow, his boots and clothes were wet and he was freezing. He hadn't changed his clothes for the last few days. They were covered in dirt, mud, and blood, and his injured leg was dark red of blood, he didn't dare to look at the wound but he guessed it looked awful. The sky was getting darker. He didn't know where he was walking, only that he was walking to find his creator, his father.

_"No matter how long it takes, I will find you, and then I will find my happiness and my own love, no matter what it costs"._

He thought in his fevered mind as he kept on struggling through the snow. The weather was getting colder and he shivered as a cold gust of wind blew through his cloak. After a while his legs couldn't move anymore and he fell down into the soft and cold snow. He felt himself lose consciousness as the pain became too much for him to bear and he willingly surrendered himself into black, peaceful Oblivion.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Ester and Laura were heading towards the Bovary's cottage, the snow had started to fall over them, Laura pulled her shawl tighter around her head and moved her fingers further in her pockets.

"Toby said that there is a blizzard on the way. He said it may get here some time tomorrow afternoon." Ester said as Laura was sitting next to her on the wagon. Looking up at the dark sky, the snowflakes landed on Laura's eyelashes and cheeks.

"We need to get the animals ready and the house as well. I'll run into town tomorrow morning after breakfast and get some more groceries. Just in case it is real bad, good that we have taken care of most of your things and the goats today."

"Yes but I'm really sad that my precious necklace is gone" Laura said sadly.

"It's probably under the snow in the garden, you'll find it when the snow melts." Ester said optimistically.

While driving, Lucinda struggled to remove herself from dragging along with the carriage; she bleated loudly and turned her head again and again to the road back on her. Laura looked down at the goat as she started bleating like crazy and started to chew on the rope.

"Lucinda, what are you…"  
Before she could finish, Lucinda snapped the rope and took off back down the road they had just left, heading back to the cottage.

"LUCINDA!" She yelled after her goat as she jumped down from the wagon and started to run after her.

"Laura! Come back, you'll never find her. The snow is getting harder and it`s to dark!"

"She's probably heading back to the house, don't worry!"

"But the wind is getting stronger!"

"If I don't find her or make it back on time, I will stay in the cottage until the storm has ended. Tell Toby not to worry." She yelled back as she ran back into the forest.

Ester signed, "I hope she'll find the damned goat in time…"

----------------------------------------------

The chilled wind seared Laura's lungs as she kept her legs pumping, watching the brown spot of Lucinda's fur in the distance. When she reached the cottage, she didn't see Lucinda anywhere-- it was hard to see which footprints were hers from the many prints on the snow and she wasn't in her barn. Just as she crossed her garden, she noticed something glittering hanging on her doorknob. Walking closer she saw it was her necklace. Quickly she ran to the door, grabbed the necklace, and held it in her hands. She couldn't believe it!

"How on earth could…" as she stopped when it hit her. "Him"…

Clutching her necklace near her heart she turned and looked around. She felt her heart pounding in her chest and she swallowed hard. The forest was silent around her and she felt alone and vulnerable. Is he watching her right now? Hiding behind the trees, staring at her? She shouldn't have come alone. She saw strange footprints in the snow, crossing her garden and leading straight into the darkness in the woods. They were half covered in snow. In the same time she saw very recognizable prints from a certain goat. Looking up she saw Lucinda, not far away from her. The goat bleated happily at her and took off again and heading into the trees.

"LUCINDA, come back here right now!"

Even though she didn't want to, she had no choice but to follow the goat and the stranger's footprints. She had no idea why Lucinda wanted to follow the footprints, but the goat was going to pay a great price when Laura caught her! Laura started walking in the direction the footprints were going, not knowing what she would find at the end of them. Laura buried her hands in her coat pocket in an attempt to warm them. She was chilled to bone and her shirt and shoes were wet and cold, but there were more important things to think about now-- like finding Lucinda before it became too dark and her footprints disappeared under the drifting snow. Most importantly, before she reaches the end of his trail of footprints.

The cottage was now far off in the distance and Laura began to wonder just where she was heading. The goats tracks never left the stranger's and she was getting more wondrous where the goat was heading. Suddenly she heard a bleating sound and through some trees few meters away, in an open glade she saw Lucinda! "Lucinda!", she yelled and started to run towards her, but when she broke through the trees and came into the meadow, what she saw made her stop dead. Her long damp red hair clung to her face as she started to inch closer. Something had caught her eyes, colors that weren't white. Something that had the very definitive shape of a someone, with Lucinda standing beside it, chuffing her nose on it and bleating sadly.

Now, lying by her feet, laid the poor Creature, under a thick layer of snow, silent and cold...

**Reviews Please!**


	10. Lost chapter!

**The Creature and the Maiden chapter 10.**

The goat drew back, allowing Laura to step forward hesitantly, unsure what to do.

"Um…hello?"

There was no response. She circled around the man until she was standing in front of him, peering down into his face. As she knelt closer to him, her eyes widened in horror as she saw the dried blood on his head. Laura could only stare, frozen with shock.

It was a man, indeed, his face and body was half down, covered by the snow. The same man she had met in the cave. The light of the snow gave her a better view of his appearance. Just like she remembered: his skin being slightly grey and covered in small scars, one large on his forehead. The skin around his eyes was dark and made his eyes look like two hollow spots. He had very high cheekbones and dark black hair, reaching down to his shoulders. His whole body were covered what it looked like to be old clothes and furs, but now with the mess of dried blood and dirt.

Laura delicately turned his body over and was stunned by what she saw. First she thought the wound on his forehead was the only one, but then she saw a deep wound on his shoulder and one on his right leg. They looked deep and the cloth around the wounds was covered in dried blood.

She wasn't as frightened as she thought she would be. But she should fear for her life. She should run and try to get away from him while he wasn't attacking her. She should get help or alert the village. She should be terrified.

But, she wasn't.

"_What suffering he must have endured! What torture he must have been through?!"_ She went down and placed his head into her lap. Gentle caress his cheek with her fingers, touching his wound on his forehead.

The wound she gave him.

He was so cold. In her confusion at its appearance she struggled to come up with a reasonable explanation. He was surely been born like that, maybe he had a bad skin disease, unable to cure and probably been cast out of society. Maybe he was working at some circus and lost his troop during the storm? She remembers a circus she has seen few years ago and the special freak-section, humans showing in front of a laughing or horrified public with their odd and terribly disease and mutations. She didn't like it at all. How they treated them, locking them into a cage and treating them like animals. It made her sick.

Perhaps his was a victim of a bad surgeon. It wasn't unusual for unlicensed doctors to experiment on their own on desperate, poor patients and fail! It seemed the most likely explanation in light of it…his appearance.

Laura has ever felt so much ashamed in her whole life. Thinking back on the small baskets on her doorstep, the buckets of milk, his attempt to explain that he didn't mean any harm, or how she had thrown a rock at him. It was understandable why she panicked but she shouldn't have hit him or screamed at him like that. She was afraid then, and she still was, but together now with emotions of pity, compassion and sadness.

"I'm so sorry" she whispered. But it was too late; he was already dead, either from the cold or the blood loss. She needed to contact Ester and Toby and beg them to carry his body to the graveyard, to give him a proper funeral. They may get some trouble with the priest, she had no idea who he was, his religion or his name but it was the least she could do for him. After all he had done and what she could have done.

The creature felt a hand on his face, his vision black until he opened his eyes. His vision was blurred as he looked to see red hair and a face. It was beautiful as it began to clear. With a shawl around her head and red lock trailing down to her shoulders, eyes closed and tears coming down from her cheeks, she looked like one of the statutes of Mother Mary.

"Moth-"he started before breaking in a violent fit of coughing.

Laura's heart almost stopped and she jumped at the sound of him coughing. She looked, down towards his head which still lay in her lap. Her breaths were shaking as she looked into the deep blue eyes which only half opened seconds before closing again.

She grabbed his wrist to check the strength of his pulse; it was there but very faint. He was alive; only unconscious! Immediately she reached out and checked out his arms, legs and rib cages, making sure there were nothing broken.

No broken bones, only the wounds. But he was cold and suddenly he started to shake like crazy.  
Laura tried to shake him awake

" Please, Wake up please… WAKE UP!"

His body was ice cold and it was critical. She needed to get them into a shelter fast and get him warm before it was too late. Inching closer, Laura swallowed and slid one of her arms around his shoulders, her other hand grabbing his arm and then tried to lift him up. But his weight was too heavy and she had to drop him down to the cold snow.

What should she do? There was no time to run and seek help, he would be eaten by wolfs or freeze to death before she could reach the Bovary's cottage.

Lucinda bleated and nudged the creatures´ body gently. Laura saw the long loose rope hanging around her neck and came up with an idea.

Taking the edge of the rope, she circled it around mans chest, under his arms and tied it. She pulled off her shawl and tied it together with the rope, making it two edges. It was going to be hard but she had no choice.

"Alright Lucinda, you found him and now you must help him, pull as much as you can." She said and started to drag Creature. With a bleat Lucinda understood and started to move. He was very heavy but they managed to move him bit by bit. Handling his body that way was a bit harsh but she had no choice, luckily he would remain unconscious until they reached the cottage.

A fierce wind was blowing through the air, and the temperature continued to drop, already set at twenty degrees. This, however, did not stop Laura from dragging her heavy burden to safety. The snow was coming down pretty hard as she struggled. Her hands were slowly getting numb, snowflakes landing on her hair and shoulders and without her shawl she began to shiver.

It didn't take a long time before they reached her cottage. But the wind had started to blow harder snow whirling around them. Laura started shivering uncontrollably as she slowly made her way into the cottage, just as the storm hit them with a full force making the windows vibrate with the force of it. She moved the rope off from Lucinda and with the last of her strength she pulled the stranger up into her bed. Lucinda, happy to be free from the heavy burden, shook off the snow and then laid down comfortably under the table.

Wet and cold, shaking like a leaf and barely able feel her toes; Laura rushed to the cabin to light up a fire. She was almost unable use the sticks. Her hands were shaking so bad and she couldn't tell if it was from being cold or the nerve-racking situation. It was awkward, she was totally alone with a stranger and a goat in a cottage in a middle of a storm, no one could reach her now and there was no possibility to reach Ester and Toby. She managed to light up the fire and place a small cauldron with snow over the fire to get some hot water.

"I'll try to get something for the wounds and something to warm you up." Laura said, trying to get some control and courage, even he didn't hear her. She rushed the chest beside the bed and opened it.

"Damn!

The only things left were an old blanket and a small pillow, she had taken all her clothes and things to the Bovary's house, the blanket was one of the few things she left behind. It`s was very worn-out but it was better than nothing. She glanced up to the shelves. They were almost empty, only few jars were left and she sighed gratefully when she saw the jar she needed the most. She grabbed blanket and the jar and ran back to the bed, there was no time to waste. Making sure he was still alive, she went down and placed her head on his chest, his heart beat just slightly but he was alive and breathing.

"We have to get you out of these wet clothes." She murmured and lifted him off the bed and pulled his cloak and his shirts over his head. He whore many shirts and she let the last and dry shirt remain on his body. Laura winced at the sight of his scars.

One scar trailed around his throat and went all down to his belly. Scars covered both his arms and the skin looked like it had been ripped off in pieces and stitched back again. It looked quite horrid! But at least It didn't look infected or injured. The cause of pain and blood lost were the wounds on his arm, leg and the forehead where she had hit him. She didn't dare to remove his pants but she ripped off the fabric from his right leg. In a meager attempt to stop the bleeding, Laura could see that he had bound his leg with pieces of thin cloth, probably from his cloak. The wound were raw and starting to bleed again. Laura finished removing his wet clothes as fast as she could.

Except the wound of his head, she didn't know where he got his other injuries but she had her suspicions.

"I need to warm him up quickly before he freezes to death, but first the wounds". Laura remembered how her grandmother taught her and she know exactly what to do. He seemed to have lost a fair amount of blood. She treated his leg as best as she could. She whispered to him that he would be alright and trying to stay calm and her mind clear. She used hot water to clean the wounds from dirt, placing healing salve over it and used her shawl to bandage it.

When she was finished she placed the blanket over him, tucking it in along the contours of his body to capture heat. Then she removed her wet dress and hanged over the fire together with the strangers. Then went down and milked Lucinda and placed the cauldron again over the fire to warm it up. She stretched her body out and proceeded to warm herself in front of the fire a moment. Outside, the wind howled and the snow continued to fall thickly. The fire has warmed up the room a little but she was still shivering in her damp undergarments. She wasn't cold as him but she felt that if she didn`t get herself dried and warm, she would catch a cold and end up like him.

While looking into the fire, Laura's eyes felt unbearably heavy, and no matter what she did and she caught her head falling forward several times. When the milk was enough warm, she poured it into a cup and went back to the bed and sat next beside him. She saw that his breath was heavy and his eyes under his eyelids were moving. Tilting his head up with her arm, she placed the cup to his lips she pour the milk into his mouth. He coughed and the milk drizzled down his chin. She wiped it away. Patting his back softy like a child Laura tried again. This time he responded.

"That's it. A little more," Laura encouraged, tipping the cup and allowing him another sip.

Lying between sleep and wakefulness, he could hear things but his eyes were still closed and his mind felt blurred. There was a fire burning next to him, and he could fell its warmth. He couldn't tell exactly what was going on. Maybe he was dead and had come to blissful heaven; didn't he just see Mother Mary just a few seconds ago?

No, it can't be?! He was created by human hands, not by God. Someone like him would never be allowed to walk through the gates of heaven, only through the pits of Hell. Yes, he must be in Hell!  
But something warm was brought to his mouth. He tried to take it in, but his body wouldn't cooperate. A small arm came around his back and lifted him up a little. He muffled a cry as he felt the pain of his wounds. Smooth fingers brushed at his cheeks. His eyelids fluttered, he tried to open his eyes, but he didn't even have the energy to do that. Once again, the warm liquid was brought up to his lips, his mouth opened just a little and the warm fluid entered her mouth.

It tasted delicious. It felt amazing going down his dry and cold throat. It was really good and he drank eagerly. But he found himself a little too eager and started choking a bit. The same hand on his back patted it softly until he stopped. He didn't know who was helping him; but whoever it was, they was very gentle. He had never felt like this before. His body was still cold, he couldn't feel his legs and arms and suddenly. He started to shake, teeth's chattering as he drifted back into darkness. Far, far, away he heard a voice calling.

Laura was glad that the poor stranger was still alive. He was able to drink some of the warm milk, but once again he went back into unconscious, shaking like a leaf.

"No, stay awake! You need to stay awake!"

She grabbed his shoulders and started to shake him, slap his face and rub his body, tugging the blanket tighter around him. He stopped shaking but still in deep sleep. She sat beside him, forcing herself to stop chattering her teeth and her body to relax to keep from shivering. She had his damp cape wrapped over her body, but it didn't feel terribly effective in keeping her warm. It wasn't bad, but it was easy to tell it was going to get worse. The wood for the fire was limited and it was getting colder and colder. It was impossible to go outside with the storm howling around the cottage. The night has fallen over them and going outside would be suicide!

She checked out his body temperature again. The blanket hadn't given him as much warmth as she thought it would and his face looked paler than ever. Not to mention his lips were turning blue. That was no good! Her grandmother had explained to her and she was certain she had recognized the symptoms; "Cold body temperature, slow movements, blue skin and lips (well he was pale before), shivering stopped, no response"

And herself; Irritability, fatigue, headache, hard shivering. To make sure, she tried to touch her thumb with her little finger, but could barely do it.

_"I`m going in the second stage of deep cold and he is maybe in the third, there is no more wood and it`s getting even colder!" _The air has started to get colder and she could see her own breath coming out from her mouth.

_"How the hell do you cure deep cold?_ She thought desperately, thinking back what her grandmother told her.

Four years ago, Laura had fallen through the ice when she was walking over the frozen river. The ice-cold water had hit her like thousands nails. They were too far from the cottage and grandmother had lit up a fire, took of Laura's wet clothes and used her own body temperature to warm her up. To calm the little girl, Isabelle softly rubbed her cold body and brushed her wet hair with her shawl saying;

_"Remember Laura, when a person has been exposed to the cold for a long time and they have stopped shaking, you need to warm them up slowly. Exposing them to hot temperature can give the opposite effect. You're shaking because it`s the way for your body to gain warmth, it`s good but only temporary. If the person doesn't get warm and dry in time, his body will stop shaking, get stiff and eventually go into a coma. But even they look dead and the body is very cold, there is still chance to save them. It depends if the inner organs are still warm. All you need to do is warm them up slowly. But if the cold have reached the heart, there is nothing you can do."_

"Has the cold reached my heart", the girl whimpered.

"No", Isabelle smiled and kissed Laura's forehead and hold her closer in her arms.

"You are far from danger and I can feel your body is getting warmer; just remember what I said. The best way to cure deep cold is to use you own body temperature to warm the person up, like I do to you.

"Your own BODY!" she exclaimed, blushing when she realized that she needed to do.

"I can't do it", she said looking down at the strangers body. Taking care of his wounds, cleaning him up and touching his body with her hands was one thing. Stripping herself and him down and wrapping them into a blanket and use body heat to warm them was definitely another. She didn't even know him! Of course he wouldn't do her any harm while he`s sleeping. But what would happen when he woke up; what might he do to her then? That made her nervous; she didn't trust him completely but she didn't distrust him either.

Laura continued to sit on the chair and remained there for several minutes. The temperature had dropped again and the longer she sat there, the more the warmth of the only blanket seemed appealing.  
If they didn't get warm now, they'd never get warm. The stranger's condition was worsening, and she couldn't sit here and watch.  
She had no choice. But first in last attempt to keep the fire alive, she took one of the wooden chairs, clumsily broke it into pieces and threw it into the glowing embers. Walking back she started to take off the rest of his chemise, Her hands were shaking so bad that she didn't know if it was from being cold or the nervousness of the situation.

Taking a deep breath, like she was going under water, she slowly crawled up to the bed, placing the blanket over them. As soon as she felt his bare skin up against hers a shiver went down her spine. She remained still for a moment, then she wrapped her arms around him and started rub his body with hers trying to ignore what it might look like in another perspective. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her face and the heat of his skin. She looked away awkward laughing.

"And I promised granny not lay in bed with a man before my wedding night."

She called out Lucinda and the goat who jumped happily into the bed laying beside them, giving her fur to warm them up.

"For this time only! I refuse to make it a habit"

Within moments, the trio lay curled up together, warm and safe, protected from the powerful storm outside.


	11. Stocks

**I`m so sorry for my long abscene but I have been very busy. To make everone happy I`m not going to update one chapter, insteed TWO chapters! **

**I want to say thank you to EdanaBrietta for helping me with the**** grammar and spellings in the chapters and for her kind review. Thank you!**

****

**The ****Creature and the Maiden **

**Chapter ****11**

(This is happening two weeks after the meeting with the creature.)

Upon answering his door, Mr. Crottington was surprised to see a stranger, a gentleman. Not one of his few poor and sometimes angry clients. The quality of the man's clothes, a dark red and coat, together pants with same color a curled up wig used to enhance his beauty, declared him to be wealthy. Behind him stood a small, chubby, not- so- handsome man with very big teeth and dirty clothes. Mr. Crottington, himself, was a very heavy man. When he moved, his suit strained at the seams, waiting for one of them to split. He ran a hand across the top of his head, flattening his dirty old wig and tried to make himself presentable.

Taking off his hat and giving a small bow, the man said with a soft voice. "Mr. Crottington, I'm Pierre Rochester. I hope you`re not busy but I'm here to talk to you about a young lady, Miss Laura Dubois, which I presume is your ward?"

While offering Pierre a seat, Mr. Crottington went stiff when he heard Laura's name, staring a little bit nervously at Pierre when he sat down behind his desk again.

"What do you know of my ward Miss Dubois and how do you know I`m her guardian?" Staring -into Pierre's face with a suspicious expression.

"I have my connections;, it wasn't hard to find out. My curiosity is about Laura's family her inheritance.?"

"What inheritance? There is no inheritance; her father left her nothing when she was sent to my care."

"And is she living with you now?"

"No.". Mr Crottington hesitated at first. "That poor girl is wild and spoiled, so I send her to a boarding school for girls to teach her some proper lessons about how to be a real lady. She comes and visits us only on holidays; the teachers are very strict, you see." A small drop of sweat was starting to show on his forehead.

"Then you did a wonderful job. Miss Dubois has an excellent hand in herbs and medicine, knows how to sew her own clothes, and knows how to dig in the earth for vegetables, eat like a bird and live in the woods like a animal. She has surely completed her course to be a proper peasant-lady."

gasped and gaped at the handsome, but very rude, man and his companion. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. Pierre smiled at him with triumph.

"How did you…? How do you know that Mr. Rochester? Have you met her?"

"Yes, indeed I have; red hair, green eyes, very lovely but has a poor temperament. I`m surprised she comes and visits you. The visits must be very short because I never heard that she had relatives, except for her long dead grandmother, until now.

Mr Crottington was pale and rose from his chair to walk around the room, thinking about how to defend himself and come up with a nice explanation for his foolishness. "She ran away shortly after we settled her in that searched for her everywhere but couldn't find her we thought she was dead. Mr. Crottington looked down at the table and tried to sound miserable and sad. "My poor wife cried desperately after her and didn't sleep for months."

"Well, you didn't search very well."

"But bless the Heavens that she`s alright and is under the care of a kind gentleman such as you. Please tell me,! where is she and is she alright?" Mr. Crottington asked, trying to talk about something other than Laura's escape.

"I can assure you that she is alright, but I just have a question:, Why did you say that she was at a boarding school when you thought she was dead?"

Mr. Crottington stared suspiciously at him again; "We…we didn't want to bring this up to the public and our friends. It would be scandalous and everyone would think we didn't take care of her. Some know that she ran away, but they think we found her and returned her to the school. We wanted to keep this private."

"But why didn't you just visit her grandmother first?"

"Her grandmother was dead and wasn't there for Laura to run to, so there was no use." Pierre laughed when he heard this reason and gazed amused at Mr. Crottington. "You`re absolutely a bad liar, Mr. Crottington. Mrs. Galinette has been dead for only two years. And what I can remember, Laura came to Mrs. Galinette house or cottage at the age 11. Either you mistook someone as Mrs. Galinette or you didn't care to search carefully enough, which I think is the most logical truth. But enough of this, I want to know how much Laura is inheriting." He enjoyed to see this fat man eagerly stare, at him and could almost feel the old man's heartbeat quicken. Trying to play his best cards and to make himself appear better, Mr. Crottington said:

"Like I said before, she has no fortune!" Her father went bankrupt and had to sell all of his belongings." To show some proof that he was not lying, he dug in his table, took up an old yellow paper and showed it to Pierre.

"_To my beloved Laura __Dubious__Dubois__. I leave the manor, all the lands, and a dowry of 30,000 __francs__ to her and the company's personal stocks which will belong to her when she__ is __18 years old…" _

"As her personal patron, it`s my duty to protect her and her fortune from gold diggers like you. So there`s nothing she has but the stocks, which are completely useless."

For a brief moment, Mr. Rochester's face registered disappointment and alarm, and then became neutral, gazing closely at the names of the stocks.

"Oh I see.," he whispered, "how How did he die, Mr. Crottington?"

"At the sea, a terrible loss, and there were no relatives except her grandmother." He paused a second… "There was a relative who wanted to take care of her, her fathers' cousin,. Caroline Beaufort. She wrote to me a few years ago and asked about Miss Dubois after she heard that Mr. Dubois had died. She asked for forgiveness for the lost contact with her cousin and his daughter and offered to take care of Laura. Unfortunately she died of the scarlet fever, so there was no meaning to write back to her family and give them more sad news."

Pierre rolled his eyes; Mr. Crottington was trying to play the part of the aristocrat now. He knew Mr. Crottington's reputation well enough and could guess the real reason of the broken contact with the Laura's distant family.

"So, tell me, how is Miss Dubois doing in her new position and new home? Is she happy there?"

"She is staying in my home, perfectly happy. She has all what she needs so you don't need to worry."

"And I thank you for your kind hospitality." Mr. Crottington said in a fast and harsh voice, walking and grabbing Pierre's hand shaking it hard. "Now that I know she`s alive and alright, there is no reason for her to stay in your house. I beg you to give me her address so I can contact her and invite her to come and live with us and be a part of our family again; we miss her so much and my son would be very happy to meet her again."

"Of course I will give you our address, Mr. Crottington. She would be so happy if you could come and visit us sometime. Now if you will excuse me, I have other business to take care of. Removing his hand fast from Mr. Crottington'. Without taking a single glance at Mr. Crottington's frozen grimace, he walked back to the door and opened it.

"Ours?"

"Yes, oh, didn't I tell you, we are engaged. For her sake and for my family's reputation, I wanted to now more of her background and her family's fortune. But it`s not necessary. Her love for me and her beauty is all that matters."

And before he closed the door hard in front of a shocked Mr. Crottington he added with a big smile on his lips:

"And I love her!"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pushing through the thick snow to the nearest inn after their talk with Mr. Crottington, Duncan walked silently next to his friend Pierre as he waited for details. He didn't completely understand Pierre's intention to bring them here, far away from their hometown, and in this cold weather, only to get some information about Laura's background, which was nothing at all. And the shocking news of Pierre and Laura's engagement, which he didn't know until now. It made him more confused than ever.

"Umm, Pierre?" he said with a low voice. "When did you ask Laura's hand in marriage?" He was sure Pierre hadn't mentioned or ever met Laura after the dark night in the woods."

"Never."

"What?! But why did you just say to Mr. Crottington that you were engaged?" Duncan didn't understand at all.

"If you would have listened and looked closely at Mr. Crottington's face and voice, you would understand completely. That man is desperate for money.""

Before their visit, Pierre had collected some information about Mr. Crottington's background. This was not so very clean and bright. After showering himself, his spoiled son and wife (now dead) with riches, jewels and clothes and spending vast amounts of money on parties and gambling, Mr. Crottington's money was dwindling and bills were flooding. By just looking at his office, dark, dusty with the old furnitures, some of the pieces needing repairs and papers everywhere, his company looked to be at the brink of bankruptcy.

"But didn't he just say her father was bankrupt?. He had to sell his company and he borrowed a lot of money to pay his bills. There is no money left for her and the only things left are the stocks, which are worthless. Except for her beauty, how can she be worth any single penny?"

"Fool! It`s true that her father didn't leave any money, and only a bunch of stocks to her. The stocks were of course not worth so much then, but that was when she was a little girl. Now the stocks are worth gold. That`s the explanation why Mr. Crottington didn't care for her when she was a little but shows as great "sadness" and "compassion" for when he heard she`s alive."

"But why doesn't he just take the stocks and sell them? He thought she was dead and he is her guardian."

"I don't know. Either Laura has the papers or she is cogent and he can't touch the stocks. Another reason why he said she was in boarding school and not missing or dead, is because the stocks would go to this long distant cousin's family and not him if he revealed the secret."

"But why hasn't she sold the stocks then and take the money, rather than living like a beggar?"

"She probably doesn't know she`s rich and besides, even if she did know, she can't use it."

"Why?"

"Why?! Because she`s a woman!" Pierre shouted. "According to the law, women have the rights to inherit, but she can't sell the stocks without her husband or her sons' permission!" Pierre grinned at Duncan. Slowly, Duncans head started to work!"

"So that's where you come in! No one knows except us and Mr. Crottingtion that Laura is rich, so you offer her your hand in marriage and get all the money. Mr. Crottington is far too old to marry her and you can laugh about his son. He`s a fat like a pig, ugh."

Suddenly Duncan realized something very important.

"Except… that she hates you and would never marry you. She might choose one of the village boys over you!"

Pierre's eyes glowed and he smiled wickedly. He had thought of that. Laura's beauty and kindness are well known and he isn't the only one who has his eyes on her.

"I have a idea. First we start some gossip about me and Laura, saying that we are secretly engaged, that she loves me but she`s shy. I give her some presents and jewels, showing my affections, etc. My father would have nothing to say when he hears the news of her fortune. Beauty and fortune is the best combination for the perfect bride as he says."

"And if it doesn't work?" Looking down at Duncan's eager face, Pierre's eyes were glittering.

"Let us say Laura got herself into an "accident" then, which caused great damage and there is no one who can help her. Guess who is coming to rescue her?"

"Well Mr. and Mrs. Bovary of course." said Duncan.

"No, Me! I`m going to be her brave knight! And to repay her debt, she would have no choice than to marry me. And guess who the perfect villain is?!"

Duncan stared scared at Pierre. After that horrible night, Duncan has been worried sick about this terrible monster. He had begged Pierre to tell the village about the monster, but Pierre just told him to shut up and never say it to anyone. Now he understood!

"It`s always fun to tame a wild mare, making her fight for her independence, tame her, control her, hit her, until she`s obedient like a dog. I get what I want. I always get what I want." Pierre whispered harsh and cold. Licking his lips, he looked at the prostitutes hanging outside the inn, figuring which one was going to join him for the night. Seeing a woman with heavy makeup, exposed skin and untidy red hair, he offered her his hand for the night, to join his celebration of his upcoming fortune and upcoming bride.

There was only one catch he should have thought of…the creature.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Creature wasn't aware of his surroundings before he actually woke up. "_Why am I still alive?"_ He thought to himself, "_I wanted to die!"_ The first thing he felt was that he was enveloped in an old blanket and there were something heavy and warm over his body , he couldn't figure out what it was. The second was when he opened his eyes and saw that he was in a small cottage, and the sun that was shining on his face through a small window made him blink. Turning his head down, he saw something that made him doubt his sanity. He blinked several times but the image didn't change. He sat up a little and looked at the strange creature over him. She was curled up across his chest with her hair spread over half his face, covering her arms and his chest. His arm wrapped around her and his other was near her face.

"I guess I have." He whispered and didn't dare to move his body, afraid to wake her or himself up.


	12. Why?

**The Creature and the Maiden Chapter 12**

-"I guess I have." He whispered.

He struggled to get up. His breathing felt raspy from sobbing, and his shoulders and chest ached, too. She was sleeping over him, murmured something softly. A soft slender hand started to caress his face, finding the back of his head and remaining there, while the other hand remained on his chest. It was a strange but wonderful feeling. But he panicked. Gasping for breath, he tried to move her away carefully but it was impossible. Even though she was smaller, she was heavy and her hand was tangled in his hair.

The sound of his voice and the sunlight on her face woke her. She rubbed eyes open, the sunlight was pouring through the small window to the right of her bed. Her cheek was laying something warm and beating. Her body felt something beneath that was not mattress- something moving and very humanlike. Her heart beat faster for a moment as she remembered last night's events. She had forgotten that she was in her cottage again and not alone. She raised her head and noticed that she had placed it on a shoulder, her hair was all messy andwas spread everywhere. Moving away some locks from her face to get a better view, she gazed into a pair of blue eyes, just like the same she had seen in the cage.

Scared and shocked, she gasped and let the go of the black hair she was tangling with her fingers during her sleep and pushed violently away. Then she looked down at herself (and the creature too, unable to cover his eyes) and saw that she was wearing only here undergarments under the blanket. A small shriek escaped her lips and she jumped up from the bed. In panic, Creature did that too but just as he stood up from bed, the room started to spin around him and before he knew what was happening the floor came up swiftly to greet him. He could feel the injuries through the bandages and how he ripped the wound open on his leg again. Taking the cloak with her, Laura covered herself up and stared straight at him from the other side of the room to where she had moved. She was looking at him frightened and confused.

This was a very awkward moment, neither of them knew what to say or do. She didn't know a damned anything about him. And Creature, after weeks of spying on her, still didn't have a clue who she was except her name, her tenderness to the goats and her lovely voice. Now they stood or lay there, starring at each other, not knowing what to say. Creature and the maiden. Apparently her memory returned more quickly upon waking than his.

-"Uh hello. Did you sleep well?" she asked with a nervous tone. "Look, I don't know who you are or where you come from, but you were hurt and there was no one else who could help you, so I took the chance…If you behave nicely, I will not tell anyone of this." she said, stumbling only a little over the words.

Laying there on the floor, still silent, Creature looked at the beautiful maiden who was wrapped in his cloak, staring back with a nervous look. He glanced down over his body, his white shirt and ripped pants were there and his wounds were bandaged. There was a sound beside him and he looked and saw Lucinda's face, bleating happily, as she was chewing on the blanket. He remembered being in pain when he collapsed in the cold snow, dreaming that he saw Mother Mary but instead it was Laura's face that he had seen back there.

"You found me in the snow and brought me back here?" he asked quietly, looking for confirmation.

"Yes."

"And you took care of my wounds?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yes."

"…Why did you save me, why didn't you just leave me there?"

"I couldn't leave you out there." "_His eyes look sad, concerned, uncertain, and…I'm not sure, there's something else there I can't quite make out."_ Laura thought as she gazed into the creature's eyes. The gentle sound of his voice was so totally in contrast with his obscure features that it only added more mystery to this stranger.

"No, no… no this must be a dream, I`m dreaming and I need to wake up. I need some fresh air This is not happening you`re not real." He said. He must have been dreaming. Creature's mind was in a haze and blurring. He tried to stay up by grabbing the chair next to him, but the room tilted and his stomach didn't feel very well. He closed his eyes until the nausea ended but his head keep on swirling and before he knew it, he lost control- but instead of hitting the floor again, arms encircled his waist and hoisted him up. Almost crashing over her, she still kept him upright and slowly helped him to his feet again and led him back to the bed, never releasing her hands on his waist.

-"Shhh…You`re still ill and you need rest". Laura said softly and shoved the shivering creature into the bed.

"Leave me alone you`re just a dream!" Creature cried in a state of hallucination and fever and tried to sit up again. Laura groaned while trying to pin her patient down- he simply could not sit still.

"Calm down. There is nothing to worry about!" she shouted back.

After several minutes, Laura finally managed to calm the poor creature down and after placing a cool cloth on his head, Laura silently walked back to the fire to put more wood in it by crossing the second chair, and to calm her nerves.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

At first, Creature was very nervous about Laura's presence. He wasn't used to being treated this way, but after only moments under Laura's tender care, he could feel his tired body relaxing. Her delicate hands moved over his wounds, cleansing them and then dressing them with new bandages from his cloak. Her touch was soft, gentle, and warm. It was a strange but wonderful feeling. She didn't say anything the whole time, only focusing on his injures. When she was finished she stood up and walked back to the fire and put on her dried clothes to cover her bare skin and make herself presentable.

"I will get you something hot to drink. Do you like tea?" Laura asked when she was finished.

He felt awkward at being asked such a simple thing. No one had ever treated him this way or asked him anything. "I have never tasted tea before."

"I think there is some Earl Grey left in the locker. It`s not my favorite but it's better than nothing. I took the rest with me when I…" Laura bit her tongue and watched the creature closely

"It`s alright, I understand completely how you must have been feeling."

Still drumming on the jar she picked down from the locker, she kept looking at it when she turned around to the creature.

"I`m still nervous you know." Laura laughed nervously. "I`m all alone in a cottage with a man who has been stalking me for several weeks without showing himself. Even though you did it in kindness and for friendship it doesn't make me any calmer. I don't know you! For the past few years I have been struggling with men who want nothing more than to control me. The man you saved me from…" She hesitated "Just to make sure so I`m not mistaken, are you the man who scared Pierre and Duncan away that night several days ago?"

"…Yes."

" Pierre one of them and he`s nothing more than an idiot." Laura started to ramble again. "Then you woke me up and were lying there next to me when I was in the cave and scared the hell of me. I threw a rock at you andran away. Mrs. Bovary came and saved me and offered to let me stay with her and I went to retrieve my things. I knew that my "admirer" must be the same man I met in the cage and beat Pierre and Duncan…and the one who returned my necklace to me." Laura began pacing, waving the jar around with emphasis while muttering to herself.

"I didn't know what to feel about it and I still don't know what I feel now. Should I be scared, mad or sad? These past few days have been the most unnerving days of my life and I`m trying to reason with everything that has happened. The whole situation it`s so...I…still don't know what to name what's happened…do you?" She could feel tears gathering at the corners of her eyes and she struggled to keep them there, looking up to meet Creature's eyes.

"It`s just…I`m scared"

Creature kept watching her, his face was blank and he was speechless.

"You don't know how many times I keep asking myself why I`m doing this. Why did I follow you? Why did I help you with jobs? Why did I care for you when I knew there was nothing I could get from you except screaming, yelling and hate?! From my past experience I knew very well that it was impossible for me to be loved because of my appearance. It was a pathetic and foolish dream to think that I would be your kind of protector and just seeing you happy and safe without revealing myself would be enough for me. I…I swear I meant no harm and my intentions were honest and pure. "I have been telling myself again and again to leave you and search for my father to claim his debt to me, but I just couldn't …bring myself to do it. Itwas perfectly clear to me that night when you screamed and threw that rock at me how pathetic I am. I was ready to die when you came and saved me…why? Why did you save me?!" He ended his confession with a desperate shout.

Laura just stood there silent, looking at the creature with pity.

"I felt remorse; I couldn't leave you out there. I thought of what you did for me and what I did to you in return…I`m so sorry"

"You bandaged my wounds and kept me warm with…your body." He whispered "Why?"

"It was the only way to keep us warm."

"So you have seen my body?"

She nodded with her head. Blushing, her eyes looking at the floor below her blankly, tears started to flow from her eyes without notice.

"Why me?" She asked.

"What?"

"Why did you choose me? What kept you watching me, bringing these mushrooms and herbs? What did I do to deserve it?"

Creature looked down at his big hands. He didn't know himself why he watched over her. There was a yearning for companionship, to protect someone from danger, to feel valuable and useful and not invaluable. When the peasant family chased him away, it felt like a knife in his chest. It made him learn to hate: hate all mankind. The temptation of being the slave of revenge and show all his anger and hate to all humans and especially to his "father" was very strong and tempting. But still, in all his misery and broken dreams, there was still a small, very small hope for the slightest acceptance or kindness. It was small, but it was still there, keeping him sane.

In this young girl, who stood there like an angel, he saw many things. She was kind, caring and lovely. She was beautiful and sweet, protective and strong- everything he wasn't. She may treat him differently than the peasants but she`ll refuse him to and ask him to go away. Her nerves couldn't handle the situation. He took a deep breath and decided it was best to get it out now, while he felt like he had the courage.

"The first thing I noticed about you was your voice; it enchanted me. I saw you washing your clothes in the river and I couldn't help but follow you When I saw how poor you were, I wanted to help you." Tears started to come down from his grey skin and he bowed his head and covered his face with his hair.

"I swear meant no harm and my intentions are pure and there is nothing I want in return, only just to see you happy. That's all. There is nothing to worry about."

She was silent as he spoke, and though his confession of having watched her so long shocked her, she did not utter a word. Laura sighed and looked at the strange man with sad eyes. She was still nervous around him, but there was so much sorrow in him and such a big longing to feel love and compassion, she couldn't help but pity him. She took some snow from outside and placed the cauldron over the fire. She sat and crossed her legs beside the fire, starring at it a long time before she turned around.

"Who are you?"

"I`m no one." He whispered weakly.

"Where do you come from? Do you have a family?"

"I…have a father; but no mother or siblings."

"Where is he? Do you see him much?"

"He left me. He probably thinks I`m dead."

"I`m so sorry." Her voice was pitiful and her eyes showed compassion. She knew very well how it was to be abandoned.

"Do you have any other family?"

"I had one once, but they chased me away."

"Why?"

"Because of what they saw. They didn't listen to what I had to say. I didn't mean any harm but they just wouldn't listen."

"Oh, I`m sorry." Laura guessed that the poor man must have tried before to make civilized contact , but was violently refused. But someone must have taken care of him when he was a boy? Who else had taught him to speak so delicately and smoothly? He was very strange.

"It must have been very lonely for you." Laura replied softly.

The creature did not answer for several minutes. When he did, his voice was almost wistful, "That's all right. I'm sorry for bothering you. I can leave now if you like and never come back." he said with a forced smile and began to stand up but had to sit down again when he felt the pain in his wounded leg.

"I shall do nothing to stop you, but only know that there is a storm outside. The snow is thick and you are still weak. You need treatment and warmth." She removed the cauldron from the fire and poured the warm water in two cups with EarlGrey and handed one of them to the creature.

"So there is no need to rush." She smiled. "Do you have a name? It seems foolish for you to know mine while I don't know yours."

The creature looked at her; from his movements Laura could tell that the question had startled him.

"I don't have a name." he softly murmured and turned his face to the wall, without taking the cup.

Laura raised an eyebrow when she heard it. "_He doesn't have a name?! That`s weird. Every human has a name."_

"Your father didn't name you? That`s horrible! Why didn't he name you?"

"He didn't have time. He ran away when he first gazed at me."

Laura looked down into the cups and then looked back at the man in her bed, "Everyone has a name and I want to call you something. Would you like one?"

Creature's head turned directly to her when he heard Laura's suggestion. His eyes were sparkling.

"Yes please! Give me a name! Any name and I will be forever grateful to you."

"Choosing a name is very difficult but I promise I will pick one that suits you." She brought the cup to the creature with shaking hands and made sure he didn't drop it into his lap. "You deserve it."

**Pew! It was hard to write this one, I really love to write details but it`s very hard to write down all and make it nice and smooth to read. Still have some troubles with the spelling and grammar but I working on it. You have notice I have puting more backbone and personalites in the characters, giving it more reality and drama in it. I want to write something more than a simple lovestory. I want to write drama, action and hidden cliffhangers and dirty villains. ;)**

**Thank you EdanaBrietta for helping me with the spells and grammar. For taking your time even you`re very busy with your family and job. Thank you!**

**I also want to say thanks to all readers for your kind reviews, for your loyalty and patience.**

**ColeAndPhoebeForever, LadyGabriel, megumisakura, taylorxtorniquet, Samantha-san13, philomina, deafield and haha21.**

**If I have missed someone! I`m sorry!**

**And to all Frankenstein writers: I`m waiting patiently for your updates, your stories are very good and I would be very disappointed if you stopped writing and laid your story it on the bookshelf. **

**Come on, please update!**

**Kiss and hug eitherangel**


	13. Your name is

**Sorry for the delay. Have been awful busy this month, searching for job and doing the final exams etc. **

**But I have written a very long chapter so I hope you will be pleased! In search for information and facts about "Paradise Lost" and "Sense and Sensibility", I used wikipedia as reference. But the dialogue between Creature and Laura about their opinions on "Sense and Sensibility" is from my own mind. I`m a great Austen fan! :-)**

**I dont own Frankenstein, The story belongs to Mary Shelley and Hallmark productions. **

**Enjoy the chapter! **

**P.S Great thanks to EdanaBrietta for helping me with the grammar and the spellings again. Thank you for taking your time even you`re very busy with your final exams! I holding my thumbs for you! **

**Have a great summer vacation! :-)**

******Kiss and hug eitherangel!**

**Creature and the Maide Chapter 13**

The storm that was howling around the cottage and the dark forest around them, ended during the night. The next morning, the sun broke from the clouds and shone on the landscape under her. The cottage was covered with snow but after great force, Laura managed to open the door and walkoutside into the sunny day. She covered herself with Creature's cloak and stumbled through the thick snow to the barn to gather some wood. While walking through the snow, she kept thinking what kind of name she should givethe man and what would they do now while waiting until the snow melted. The Bovary must have been worrying sick, but she had no possibility of walking back to them right now. What would they think when they saw him and how would they react? She was no longer afraid of him and she had gotten used to his face, but she had no idea of what they would think.

Walking back into the cottage, Laura placed the wood beside the fire and shook away the rest of the snow from her clothes. Creature, feeling better, managed to sit up, supported by the pillow behind his back. After Laura's strict order, he wasn't allowed to get up from bed. To occupy him, Laura gave him some books she had so he could read while she was busy gathering wood and milking Lucinda. He laid there quite comfortable but he had a bad conscience for letting Laura do all the work.

"Oh stop looking at me like that. I`m strong. Just lay there and cure yourself, you'll be no use if you hurt yourself again." To occupy him, she began to ask about the book.

"What do you think of the novel? I wish I hadn't taken all my things with me, I didn't know I would have visitors so soon." Laura brought almost all her things to Bovary's home: clothes, books, plates, and food. There were only a few thing left for occasional visits. She wasn't abandoning the cottage totally.

"I have just reached the chapter when Mr. Willoughby is giving the cold shoulder to Marianne at the ball. Poor girl, he left her heartbroken."

"You`re surely reading very fast. Have you read it before? Which of the sisters do your prefer? Eleanor or Marianne?"

"I don't know. I think 's more intelligent than her sisters and she puts her family and friends above everything else. She is always calm,well grounded, and smart.

"Too well grounded, I think. She may be smart and reasonable, but I wish she could be more like her sister. Like the chapter when Miss Steeles conceals her and Edward's hidden engagement. Eleanor does nothing to stop her! I just hate when Lucy is making Eleanor suffer when she`s talking about her hopes and dreams. That's why I prefer Marianne, she doesn't hide her feelings."

"I don't agree with you. I understand what you mean, but if Eleanor had reacted in a different way, she wouldn't be Eleanor anymore. And if Marianne reacted differently about Willoughby, she wouldn't be the romantic Marianne anymore. That is the theme of the story. Both sense and sensibility have the weak and strong sides. And don't forget that Marianne isn`t perfect either.I, myself, think you are more of Eleanor than Marianne."

"In sense maybe, but I have different temperament than her."

"That's because you`re Laura and nobody else."

"Good point." Laura laughed when she tossed the wood into the fire.

"Who`s the author? I couldn`t find the name."

"Someone named `s quite popular in England."

"It's written by a woman?"

"Yes, by a woman. Do you think women can't write? She may use her own experience and feelings when she`s writing, and not refereeing history, philosophy or war like ordinary male authors do, but she`s a excellent writer."

"I didn't mean like that, I just never read a book written by a woman before. I didn't want to criticize or anything. But I must confess that her book is very different from what I have read."

"What books have you read then?"

"Paradise Lost and the Bible."

"Paradise Lost! By John Milton? Well there is a hug different in taste and style. It's not hard to read it; the poem is in blank verse; non-rhyming like Shakespeare.

"Have you read it?"

"Not reall. My father used to read it and I still remember a few verses from when he read it aloud for me. I was too young to understand Satan's intentions and all these metaphors he was using. I preferred to look at the beautiful illustrations, but I do know some verses."

Then she began to half-singing;

_So farewell hope, and with hope farewell fear__,  
Farewell remorse; all good to me is lost.  
Evil, be thou my good._

Creature couldn't help to admire Laura's talent of singing. He had heard and read this verse before but never heard someone sing it.

"That is a very beautiful verse."

"This one is the only verse I remember from my father's speeches." Laura smiled and turned her head back to the fire.

"Where is your father now?" Creature wondered as he lifted his head. Hearing his question about her father made Laura freeze on the spot. No one had asked about her father for many years just remembering him made her heart hurt. To do something, she began to digging a stick into the fire.

"In heaven perhaps." She told him, trying to make her voice as natural as possible.

"Perhaps? What do you mean perhaps?"

"They never did find his body. He was lost in a shipwreck many years ago. So I lost a father too, you see."

"You lost him. He's dead but my father abandoned me and he`s still alive."

"But why do I feel that he abandoned me, leaving me all alone in this cruel world."

"Oh, who do you think is the most abandoned here? When my father saw my eyes open, his eyes went wide in terror. Therewas no compassion, sadness or even pity in his eyes over my wretched birth. Only terror at what he did. So don't come and say that your father abandoned you, left you, and hated you. I believe your father loved you most in the world and would never have left you. He didn't leave this world and you on purpose." "

For the creature, who was never shown the slightest bit of affection from his father, he thought that it was unjust for Laura to accuse her father like that, comparing to his father. He would forgive many things if her father was his father and had abandoned him instead. She had been loved!

"_If you only knew_,_"_ she thought while playing with the fire.

"Your speech and the way you`re movement is different. The books and your breadth of knowledge of herbs and poems is also very different. Where do YOU come from?"

Laura wasn't prepared for Creature's question. In her eagerness to get to know him, it never occurred her that he was as curious about her as she was about him. But telling him the reason for being here would inevitably lead to more questions that she didn't want to she took a deep breath and started.

"I was born and raised in the big capital. My father was James van Dubois, the president of a

mercant-company. My mother died when I was a baby so I don't remember her. We lived a very comfortable life but when I was ten years old, my father went bankrupt and had to sell everything. As a last resort, he invested in a ship that would bring us some money to pay off most of his debts. But the ship sank in the middle of the sea, with my father on it." She hesitated a moment but then continued, "Out of pity, one of the lawyers took care of me and sent me to a boarding school for girls."

"Boarding school?" Creature interrupted. He had never heard that word before.

"A school were people send children they don't care for and let other people raise them. There is nothing worse than a boarding school. They make us keep our hair short, wearing itchy grey clothes, and giveus old bread and cold soup. We had to sleep together sometimes in the same beds to keep warm in the winter."

"That's horrible. How did you survive?"

"By leaving. I couldn't stand to live there with the beatings and the lack of food. I don't miss it at all."

"So you ran away from school, but why didn't just tell your father's lawyer that you hated it there? Didn't they miss you?"

Every muscle in Laura's body tensed. "They sent me away because they didn't want me, like I said," she said softly.

"Why?"

"Because," Laura said, thickly, "because something terrible happened."

"To you?"

Laura couldn't answer him around the lump in her could barely manage to nod. Creature was quiet for a minute and she concentrated on the sounds of her thumping fingers and Lucinda's chewing. She bit the inside of her cheek, hoping the pain would force away the tears. "_If you only knew_." Creature felt that he was intruding on a very vulnerable topic and was making Laura uncomfortable, so to change the course of the subject he asked:

"So how did you end up here?"

Seeing her body relax a bit, he decided to be more careful about what he was asking. There were some things in her past that made him wonder, but he held his tongue.

"It's my grandmothers' house. I looked for her and when I found her, I moved in. I can't remember being happier than that time. I was both tired and hungry when I reached her house, but I managed to follow her calling."

"Her calling, what do you mean?"

Laura bit her tongue. She hadn't thought about what it would sound like to him. It was a bit of a sensitive topic. But looking into his considerate eyes, she took the chance. Who would he tell anyway?

"My grandmother was kind of special. The village people thought of her as a witch, but she was not, I swear! There was no kinder, warmer person than she, but she had some kind of talent. When I was staying in that boarding school, I couldfeel an urging to go south. After my father died I felt so lost. I had no family left, no friends; I didn't know were my grandmother lived because no one told me. But this longing to go south and leave the past behind and never look back again; it gave me a purpose, a way to follow, so I followed it. The journey was long, many nights I had to sleep in open fields, under trees and barns. I stole and begged to survive. I let myself become invisible so no one would find me. I didn't want to go back to Mr. Crottington or Mrs. Holland, the school mistress. And at the end of the road, when there almost no strength left in me, I finally reached my grandmother's cottage. She was waiting for had prepared a bed for me and a second bowl on the table. I didn't know how she did it, but she was calling me and welcomed me to her home."

"That's…amazing, I have never heard about something like that. Is it what they call magic?" Creature was impressed of Laura's strength and her survival instinct. It's not easy to live and travel all alone in the wilderness. Even for him it was a big challenge to find shelter when it rained or snowed. Finding something to eat,berries and hare were not easy to find. This child managed to was incredible!

But he found it hard to believe Laura's story of her grandmother's wondrous gift. He wasn't one who believed in god and fairytales. It was nice to hear, but he didn't believe in them. He had plenty of reasons for it.

"I don't know, maybe?" Laura looked back at Creature's doubtful face. "If you don't believe me, that`s alright. I didn't expect you to, but grandmother had an exceptional gift to read peoples minds and see through their masks. She was a very proud and honest woman and sometimes… little bit weird."

Getting up, she went back to the table and poured one of her medicine bottles into a cup.

"Time for your medicine, open your mouth."

"Oh, not again!" Creature moaned, but he had no choice.

"If you want to get better, you will drink it!" Laura commanded and sat beside him on the bed.

She placed the cup to his lips and the liquid flowed into his mouth. The bitter medicines were very unpleasant and he gagged and coughed. Her hand thumped him on his back until he was able to breathe properly.

"The stronger the medicine is, the more bitter it is. Hold your nose and try to not smell it. It will make it easier to take"

"I think I will never get used to it."

"You never will," she said and suddenly leaned forward to touch her forehead to Creature' froze in his place. This sudden movement and Laura's face so near him made it hard for him to could smell her hair and could feel the softness of her skin. Everything was so…intoxicating.

"What are you doing?" he stammered.

"Reading your mind."

"WHAT!" hegasped and moved his head away from her, his cheeks going red. Just only seconds ago he imagined...

Laura couldn't help but laugh at Creature's wide eyes and blushing cheeks. "No silly, I was checking to see if your fever was gone. I compare it with my skin temperature. You really believed I was reading your mind?"

"Oh, of course not. I knew silly." He tried to laugh but deep down he gave sigh relief _"Thank god_._"_

"I don't have that kind of power yet!" she mused. Creature raised an eyebrow, but he didn't say silence between them stretched and Creature shifted uncomfortably.

"I think I have figured out a name for you"Laura suddenly said smiling secretively. Creature staed at Laura and he almost couldn't believe his ears.

"Y-you have?" he whispered. He would finally hearing his name for the first time. His name! His identity. A name that would refer to him!

"It just an ordinary name, but I think it will suit you very well. I got it from a very interesting source." Moving closer to hear it clearly, he stopped to breath and make sure he wouldn't miss one second of hearing his name come out of her red lips.

But that dream stopped…

"LAURA!" This sudden abruption of their pleasant moment, made them jump from their seats. They have been so involved with eachother that they had forgotten there was a world outside the cottage. Creature's stomach instantly twisted into a heavy knot at the sound. Laura rushed to the window and checked what it was. In the distance, she could hear voices calling out her name and bells from a wagon. Examining the scene with her eyes closely, she saw a wagon coming towards them, with Ester and Toby Bovary on the top, calling for her.

"It's Ester and Toby!"

The air seemed to grow tense and they noticed the change in atmosphere. First Laura and Creature just stood there, to shocked and speechless to do anything. Then the panic came. Immediately they began to stumble on their feet. Creature, still with his blanket draped around him, started to search for a hidden place somewhere in cottage. But that was one of the negatives of owning a small cottage; it`s too small! Hiding under the table was impossible and so was the bed. There were no closets, attic or a backdoor, the chances to hide him were very slim.

"They would listen, they would understand who you are if we tryto talk to them."

"No they won't."

Creature was immediately in front of her holding onto her shoulders with his hands. Her head only reached to his chest so she had to look straight up into his worried eyes.

"They would never understand." he insisted. He moved and looked through the window.

"Laura, I have done this before. I know what will happen," he said harshly. "They will try to hurt me!"

"All right, all right, I will cover for you. I will go out and greet them and try to make them to go away or at least not come in. Go and hide in the corner, they are coming!"

Making herself presentable, she brushed her hair quickly and smoothed her dress. She grabbed her jacket and walked out into the cold daylight.

Seeing Toby and Ester was a welcomed sight, they must have been worried sick after her departure to find Lucinda. But right now was not exactly perfect timing.

"Oh Laura, thank go you`re all right! We have been so worried about you!" Ester shouted when she jumped down from the wagon after stopping within a few meters from the cottage. She grabbed Laura and gave her a big hug. Laura cleared her throat and tried to make her voice sound as natural as possible.

"Hello Ester. Sorry I kept you worrying. I couldn't go back when the storm hit me!"

"Never run away like that again, do you hear me?! Oh my poor girl, you must be starving. We are taking you right back home and giving you a nice hot bath and warm food in your stomach.

Laura froze and stopped breathing. _"Home__!_"After chewing on her bottom lip for a moment, she said."Actuall, I need to do a few things around here and I haven't found Lucinda yet." She wasn't prepared for them to take her back to their home yet.

"Oh that goat is probably dead and there is nothing to do in cottage right now in the middle of the winter. You`re coming with us and we'll have no more questions about that." Ester was not taking no for an answer.

"No Ester, I really need to take care of it, there…there is a leak in the roof and I need to take care of it. If I don't fix it, the roof will mold and destroy everything inside." Laura was a terrible liar. Ester could feel she wasn't telling the truth but she couldn't figure out what she was hiding.

"Well, if it`s a leak I can fix it in just a few seconds for you," said Toby as he started to walk towards the cottage.

"Oh no really, you don't have to! It`s already fixed but it`s so messy inside," she replied. The look on her face caused him to frown. "Are you all right, Laura?"

Laura nodded dejectedly and smiled. Her eyes looked towards the locked door and then back to him. "Well if it just messy, we just need to clean it up and go back home," Ester replied.

"Oh..."

" _Oh you helpful but annoying woman!" _She curse.

The mere mention of Ester going in and cleaning made her nervous. "But it's almost nothing, I only need to throw out the old blankets and sweep the floor a little."

Ester studied her expression for a short time before sharply saying, "Well if that's all you need to do, I think you can do it in spring. Just bring the last of your things and come with us right now! You`re lucky you didn't get caught by the demon again!"

"_I really hope you mean Pierre!" _Seeing Esters determination, Laura finally gave in.

"As you wish Ester," she said with a forced smile. "She turned and began walking quickly back to the door. "I will be right back, go back and prepare the horse; this will take just a minute." She reached the door and rushed quickly in and shut it. She marched over to her window and shut the curtains. Then she glanced at the creature hiding in the corner.

"Laura?" He looked so worried. His brow was furrowed, his eyes were wide.

"I have to leave for a while." She whispered. Starting to grab the few things she had. "I need to distract them or they will walk in and see you."

"But what will I do without you?

"I will come back and see you as soon as possible. I will try to bring food and other supplies. You can use Lucinda for milk and company, and if necessary…meat.

"I would never kill Lucinda. I'd rather starve!" Creature shouted and looked down at Lucinda's curious face when she studied Laura as she ran around the cottage like a maniac.

"You have my permission anyway." Then she heard a thud and stopped. She looked back at the creature. He was sitting on the kitchen floor leaning against the wall,his body trembling and his eyes vacant. She went down to look at Creature face to face, "I know how it feels to be all alone and I really hate to leave you, but we have no choice."

"I have been alone before, but after being with you all this time, I don't know if I can stand to be alone again."

"You don't need to worry, I will come back. You have to be strong,John."

A moment, Creature or John didn't register what Laura was calling him, but when the name John melted into his brain. His brain started to feel as if it had frozen to ice then thawed."What did just you call me?" He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't. He needed to hear it again.

"John. Your name is John. In the honor of the author of your favorite book, Paradise Lost."

"John Milton!" they both said at the same time. Laura smiled and leaned over and placed a fast kiss on Creature's, or John's forehead.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile, Ester couldn't shake the feeling that Laura was hiding something from her. Laura's behavior was certainly odd and Ester's eyes kept looking back at the cottage. There was something wrong with Laura, and she wanted to know what it was. "I`m going in to check if Laura needs some help."

"But she said she would be right don't need to worry about her Ester. She is probably very tired and hungry."

But Ester didn't listen and started to walk directly to the cottage. Laura had drawn the curtains and that made Ester curious. She walked towards the window and looked inside trying to see whatever it was that she was doing. It was dark, so she couldn't see clearly. But suddenly she saw something lying on the floor in the corner of the room. She could see Laura's back towards her and her red hair in a tail. She was leaning over something. In further observation Ester saw it was a man, but she couldn't see his face. _"So that's what Laura was hiding. I wonder who it is?"_ But when Laura moved, she saw it more clearl, and what she saw made her shriek with full passion.

"TOBY!!!"


	14. Friendship?

**Hello! Good to see you all again, it`s been a very busy (and wet) summer. I hope you`re ok! Sorry for the delay! Here is the next chapter of creature and the maiden and I hope you`ll enjoy it.**

**Some people have asked me wich language John is speaking with Laura. I have almost forgot when I reread the old chapters that Creature/John is speaking french and Pierre couldnt understand a word what he is saying (ch "Hurting the innocent"), only the worg "aime". I had a hard time to figure out which country this story is taking place. It should be far away from Geneva but not to far away, so I decied Italy, near the frontier of Switzerland and France. I have never been in Italy but have seen photos and movies and I think its a beautiful country. So here`s the fact: John is French and so is Laura. She was born in France and speak french fluid. But when her father died, she ran away from her guardian and managed to cross the line between Italy and France and moved in to her grandmothers home (With a strong will, you can do anything). So Laura can speak both french and italian and thats why she have no problem to understand John. **

**How John learned Italian was during his spying on Laura and the Bovary family, he managed to understand the countrys and Lauras (second) language and even learned to listen and speak Italian. So here is the answer, I hope you`re all pleased! :-)**

**I want to say Thank you to Miss Jennifer B for helping me with the grammar and the spelling. Take good care of yourself now! **

**Enjoy the story!**

Creature and the Maiden Chapter 13

"TOBY!" Shouted Esther as loud as she could when she saw the horrified view of the creature's, or just named, John's face. John and Laura turned around at the Esther's shriek and just for a moment, they wished that time would stop. Laura tried to get up but John, unable think of what to do, grabbed her arms and dragged her down again with her back on the floor. Still insecure of his strength in his arms, Laura couldn't help but gasp at the small amount of pain he was causing.

"John! Let go of me!" She tried to shake him but John was still too in shock to hear her. He just stared blankly at her. Laura had to use all her strength to raise herself and John from the floor. One second later Esther and Toby crashed in to the cottage, seeing Laura and John on the floor with John hands around Laura. Without any effort from Laura, a frightened and surprised John raised quickly to his feet, taking Laura up from the floor, when Toby stepped in into the room and approached them, the gun loaded and pointing directly at John's face.

"Get your filthy hands off her!"

Laura hesitated; beginning to feel uneasy over the situation. John was towering behind, still holding her arms in his hands. Trying to push a red strand of hair out of her face, she began walking slowly to Toby.

"Toby, put that gun down, he`s alright."

But Toby didn't listen, with his gun loaded and his impulse to save Laura from the strange man, he pulled the trigger. But before Toby had the chance to strike him with his gun, John rolled over before he heard the bang of his gun strike against the wall where he had stood seconds ago. He jumped to his feet, dodging again on Toby's next shot.

"Toby, STOP! What are you doing?!" Laura shouted. But Toby only ignored her again.

Finding a weapon to defend himself, John quickly ripped off one of the table legs with both of his hands. The table fell when it only stood on three legs and crashed down between Toby and John. John maintained his distance from Toby, keeping the rustic club at the ready in case Toby made to attack. The atmosphere was tense. Laura and Esther pleaded with them to stop but they didn't listen. Before Toby was allowed to make a third shot, John grabbed his stick and attacked him. He tried to smack Toby's gun out of his hands, but Toby was quicker and moved away from John. He held his gun to block himself when John started to attack his head and chest and wasn't able to load his gun again. Because of John's big muscles, Toby struggled to maintain his balance and not get crushed by this horrified creature's hands. Toby had never felt such a intense hatred before as that which was in the hits John was making. Finally John got a free spot and hit Toby right in his stomach and knocked him down to the floor. He could hardly breathe and his stomach hurt like hell. When he looked up, he saw the creature's eyes; they were angry and furious. John was clutching his teeth together and breathing heavily.

"No more..." John hissed. "No more hitting, striking, beating...I have had enough."

It was like no other kind intensity of anger Toby thought he would never see. John growled like a lion advancing on his prey, clutching the stick in his hands and was ready to strike again.

"I will kill you, you monster." Toby hissed and tried to load his gun again.

"ENOUGH!" Laura cried aloud and suddenly stood between Toby and John, blocking them.

"Put your stick and gun down, right NOW!" she shouted again, her eyes burning with fire. "I have had enough of this, lay down your weapons now or you`ll both be sorry!" Both Toby and John just stood, or lay there dumbfounded, not able to speak.

"Is that how you present yourself, a barbarian? Well thank you so much!" she shouted at John. John looked very embarrassed and dropped his stick on the ground.

"And you…" she turned directly to Toby, "How dare you to insult my guest and use your gun in my cottage. What has he done to you?"

None of them spoke; John was looking down on the ground, too ashamed to say anything. Toby was still lying on the ground, to shocked over Laura's outburst at him and her defense of this murder machine behind her. It was Esther that broke the silence.

"Laura, is this the man you have been talking about, the one who has been around your cottage for the past five weeks?" asked Esther, frightened when she looked at the huge creature in front of her.

"Yes Esther, but he`s alright! I found him in the woods yesterday and I saved his life. He`s injured, can't you see?!" Laura showed John's shoulder were Pierre's bullet had landed and pointed at John's bandaged leg. Seeing the scars around the neck and on his forehead, Esther and Toby both shivered.

"Good god! What the hell happened to you?" Toby whispered with horror. He clutched the gun tightly.

"Toby calm down! Put that gun away and listen to me." Laura whispered calmly and helped him off the floor. Then she started to explain how John was connected with the gifts, the goats, how she had found him half frozen to death in the woods and how she had taken care of him during the storm. She told them of his past and how he had ended up there. No one said anything during Laura's story and when she was finished, Toby eyes had softened a little but still glared shown a suspicious look at John. He closely studied John's figure. He couldn't understand how Laura could be so brave to save this man's life and drag him all the way through the snow, considering how big he was. Standing beside the creature, Laura reached only to his chest and his head almost bumped into the ceiling. This is was unbelievable!

John was still silent the whole time during Laura's speech. It was nice of Laura to defend him, but he was too embarrassed over what he had done. Again, it was Esther that broke the silence with a big groan, putting her face into her hands.

"Oh how could you?! Do you have any idea what a risk you took when you saved him? How do you know that he`s not pretending to be nice and gentle? You have a predator after you already." Forgetting John was standing next to her, feeling very uncomfortable.

"My intentions toward Laura are perfectly honest. I seek nothing in return," John finally said.

"So did you watch her every move? Follow her everywhere she went?" Esther glared at John suspiciously. His face turned red, understanding what exactly Esther was hinting at.

"I didn't follow her all the time, Madame," he muttered.

"Then why did you follow her at all? Why didn't you present yourself like normal people do?"

"Of my appearance, of course!" John replied.

"You are the bear!" Toby suddenly shouted.

"What?"

"You`re the bear…well you're not exactly a bear- you`re the one that beat down Pierre and Duncan and chased them away like two dogs with their tales between their legs?"

"Yes..." John said nervously, confused with Toby's sudden outburst, "They were chasing after Laura."

"Well that was the best thing that could have ever happened for an idiot like him. He deserved it, and you saved Laura. You have my gratitude for that." Toby smiled for the first time at him. Esther gave him a harsh look. "Sorry for the gun, just a bad habit you know!" Toby added, nodding at the gun, "But it would be different if you were Pierre lurking around…" Suddenly he realized he didn't even know this creature's name. "What`s your name?

And for the first time in his life, the creature said, "My name is…John."

"John?! I think I`m going to like you John. You have my vote." Toby laughed and then left the cottage to check the horse, with Esther following after, still in shock after the fight and meeting with John. Both Laura and John looked at each other, feeling a bit uneasy but relieved.

"Well…that went well," John said sarcastically.

"He`s like that sometimes. One minute he`s pointing a gun at you, the next second he`s your best friend. Are you alright?" she asked him as she pushed his black hair out of his face.

"I never expected it, to be perfectly honest. I just wish that Esther wasn't so cold." He stared at Laura while he talked. "I haven't been watching you all the time, I swear. I leave you alone when I'm hungry or when you…" he paused, "were bathing or something like that. I was just looking when you tended your garden, milking your goats and plucking berries or…" he bit his tongue. Great, as if that makes it any better than not watching her washing herself. John, you`re a big idiot."

Laura interrupted him before he started to talk more nonsense. "It`s alright! You don't need to explain." There was no doubt that he lacked some social etiquette and was not used to speaking with people. The way he sometimes looked behind, or over her head and just rambling without ever taking any breaths. Or when he was nervous, scratching his thumbs with his fingernails. A very bad habit!

"Here`s the deal. For Esther's sake and her nerves, I`m going with them to their cottage and you can stay here with Lucinda. I don't think it`s a good idea that you come with us. Not that I don't want you to come!" she added quickly when she saw his disappointed look. "I mean, we both know if you go into public, there will be a mob after you with fire and pitchforks. I think we need to take this slowly so everyone can settle down."

"Laura," John said gently, looking into her green eyes, "I have not lived very long. I do not know the world entirely and still have a lot of things to learn about it. What I have learned and accept is one thing; I will never be accepted!"

"That`s not true John! You`re..." she tried to explain but gazing up into his scared face, she knew he was right. She has gotten used to his face, but she couldn't deny that the scars on his body gave her shivers. She had to bend her head all the way up to gaze at his face as he stood straight up. He was a giant! There were many different people, some would accept his look after some time, but there were people who wouldn't and they could take drastic measures when they were afraid or angry. This was the reality, not a fairy tale. He`s not a poor enchanted prince who`s turned into beast. No matter how many times the princess kisses him…kisses him. Laura blushed and turned her head away from John gentle eyes. Why was she thinking like that? She felt insecure in her feelings about John.

"You`re a fine person and I hope one day the rest of the world will understand, but you`re not alone anymore. You have me, Toby and Esther."

"And that`s enough for me, if I can't be accepted by this cruel world, I`ll gladly welcome the recognition of a few."

"The world is not eternally cruel, John."

"It is for me, only on just a few things." He smiled down warmly at her again. Laura felt insecure again. She started to occupy herself with cleaning the bed and fluffing the pillows. Her vision of him had changed a little. This man was desperately lonely and god knows what he had been through. She had treated him nicely, taken care of his injuries and talked to him like an equal. She wanted to give him friendship, but she worried that might not be enough for him. She was not used to having men around her, so this was making her a little bit nervous. But also met many men in her life who had wanted nothing more than to dominate and use her. That was another sad truth of her shyness.

Tension built in the air between them; neither was sure what to say.

"Est…Esther and I will visit you almost every day with supplies, food and other comforts. And when the spring comes, we will figure out what to do with you. I think it`s best not to argue with her right now, but she will get used to you soon. I can go and get your things from the cave if you want."

"Oh that`s not necessary," John said quickly, thinking about the book his father left him. Figured by himself and from the Victor Frankenstein handwriting about his efforts to creating life, he knew exactly what he was and he had a slight felling that if he should tell Laura about it, it would terrify her completely. A scientist steals human parts from graveyards, sew them together in his laboratory and brings this body to life by using powerful flashlight. She would never understand or believe.

Sitting in the carriage again, saying goodbye they rode slowly away from the cottage, Toby and Esther were still confused about this strange visitor in Laura's cottage. They were both thinking, "Who is he?" "Where do he come from?". Laura's thoughts were a little more different, "What is he really thinking of me?" "What is he expecting of me?"

"Well that was unexpected, don't you think Ester?" asked Toby.

"Yes, but what is that thing?" muttered Ester.

"Just a lonely man who needs a home, that`s all."

"I don't see him as harmless. If I were you I would kick him out."

"Now you`re just cruel, he hasn't done any harm," Laura protested.

"We`ll see about that," Ester muttered again. She didn't like how Laura treated this man. One of the bad things about Ester was that she was very suspicious of strangers. She`d never trusted them, no matter what social class they came from.

"Well at least we don't need to find a suitor for her, she`s already got one," Toby chuckled.

"TOBY!" both Laura and Ester shouted and both gave Toby a slap on the shoulders, making him almost fall from the wagon.

For the next cold winter weeks, the weather changed drastically; sometimes it snowed and stormed like hell, sometimes the sun came and shone over the white landscape and melted the snow. But that was just a little while, and then the snow came back again and covered the ground. Laura kept her promise and visited John almost everyday, when it was possible to walk through the snow. When Johns shoulder and leg were healed, he started to shovel snow around the cottage and most of the path so Laura would have an easier walk to the cottage door. But she was never alone. Ester was always with her. She didn't trust John to let him be alone with Laura. Not that he was still a "stranger", but she did have morals and for her, it wasn't proper for a young girl to be alone with a man (who is not her relative or her husband), plus this "man" wasn't suitable at all for her Laura. Sometimes, Toby came to fix some things in the cottage: new table, dead animal, fixing the roof and clothes for John, etc. Toby was impressed by this man who had such a cultivated way of speaking. He was intrigued that John could read and especially "Paradise Lost" and "The Bible". Not that he`d ever read those books, he couldn't even read or write. Considering Ester and Toby's children, they just said that they were visiting a shy beggar who was living in Laura's cottage temporary and didn't want to be alone but didn't want to be visited by strangers. Their children thought that was odd but they accepted it.

Laura herself thought John kind and gentle. He was always happy when she and Ester came to visit him. Always wondering what they had done, if there is something he could do, etc. To occupy him, Laura always brought books with her and gave them to John to read and every Sunday, she and John had conversations of the books he had read and discussed their contents. This was for John the most enjoyable moment. Ester always sat or cleaned the cottage; she had no interest for books. When they were gone, Lucinda kept him company and he loved that goat a lot. Before they even noticed it, the winter ended and the spring was coming. The weather was getting warmer, lighter and flowers were blossoming on the ground. Laura's grandmother had planted a few rosebushes near the cottage, so when the warmth came, the house walls were covered in red roses and under the window, blossomed yellow marigolds.

John was relived that the winter was over and he didn't need his long cloaks to cover himself up. With Toby's worn out clothes, he looked less scary and better dressed than before. When the ground was soft enough, Laura taught him how to take care of the garden. She taught him how the herbs grew, how to remove bad grass and how to plant new plants and potatoes. They really had great times and always laughed together. This cottage was John's sanctuary from the outside world and he wished this wonderful peace would never end.

But it had to…

One day Ester decided to approach him alone when Laura was down at the river washing and they were preparing the dinner. She wanted to talk to him about something very important. She had watched him and found the solution that John needed to open his eyes. Laura considered him as a friend and a man who needed comfort, nothing more. But as for John, when Ester had observed him when he was looking at Laura, there was a deep yearning. He said that he wanted nothing in return, other than friendship and company. But was he really honest with himself? Was this really enough for him? she wondered.

If there was one thing for sure, Ester was expecting the best for Laura, and John wasn't the best in her eyes.

"John, there is something I need to talk to you about."

"What is it?"

"What are your feelings for Laura?"

John didn't expect Ester ask him that. He blushed and turned away, not willing to face Ester's sharp eyes starring at him.

"M-my feelings? What do you mean?"

"Oh don't be such a coward, you`re in love with her, I can see that!"

John blushed more and still starred down at the table, where he was hacking vegetables, then he started to smile a little. "Yes, I think I do," he almost whispered.

"And I think you need to drop it. You and Laura are too different of people."

"I know that! I see it every morning when I wash my face," John muttered while he finished chopping and put the vegetables into the cauldron.

"It`s more than the appearance. Except when you lived with a farmer family when you were a little boy, you have been traveling around the country all alone and living a miserable life, we know almost nothing about you. You haven't even told us how you got your scars and why you face looks like grey paper? Do you have a bad skin condition?"

"There is no reason to know my past. My past is my secret and…if Laura knew, she would be terrified and never look into my eyes again."

"John, there is one thing I need to say to you; don't have any high hopes. Even if you love her, I don't think Laura is in love with you. She thinks of you as a friend and nothing more. I really hate to say this but you need to understand. Laura is still young but hasn't seen the world yet and there are more suitable men for her to fall in love with. Who will support her, give her a future and a nice home…

"Don't you think I will support her?!" John shouted angrily at her, tossing a carrot he was holding in his hand hard against the wall and it crushed into pieces. He didn't like hearing her talk about other (beautiful) men who would be more suitable for his Laura. "Don't you think that I can protect her from danger? Do you really think I will stop loving her and turn around and hurt her?"

"No, I don't think so, but at what cost could she be with you? You will both end up as outcasts. Living alone because people would hurt and laugh at you. People will spit on Laura and think she is a whore and totally crazy to live with you. Do you think she can stand that? What will you do if she one day stops loving you? That she can't stand people hurting her and thinks your love is not worth it? What if she turns around and finds another man and falls in love with him? Is that the kind of future you want to give her and yourself?"

"Oh shut up!" he desperately cried. "I don't want to hear!" With that he turned away, avoiding Ester's cruel eyes. He stared down at the vegetables in the cauldron, trying to stay calm and avoid strangling Ester. But in a sympathetic and realistic manner, Ester had spoken from her mind and heart. Deep inside, John knew it all along that a future between him and Laura was almost impossible.

"What you said is true and hurtfully honest Ester. But what can I do when I love her?"

"Face the facts and accept them, rather than having unrealistic dreams. She sees you as a friend and nothing more. Be her friend and only her friend. But if you think it wouldn`t be enough for you, that she can't give you more or you can't express your true feelings for her, then I think you should leave, for your own good and for her," Ester said softly and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Through the window, John saw Laura coming back from the river with her laundry basket in her hands. When the weather grew warmer, she had changed her clothes into lighter material, her arms were bare, walking barefoot and she had her hair falling around her shoulders, looking almost exactly like the day he first saw her, washing clothes down in the river.

Maybe it was best this way? Maybe just being her friend and nothing more…just her friend.

Shaking of Ester's off on his shoulder, he rushed out from the cottage and towards Laura.

"Hello John, would you like to help me with the laundry, it`s quite heavy?" She smiled.

But John only ignored her and just walked past, keeping his eyes on the ground.

"That`s strange..." Laura wondered as she watched him walking into the dark forest and disappearing "I wonder what`s wrong?"

Walking as fast as he could, he tried to forget what Ester said to him. When he reached a far enough distance from the cottage, he stopped. Then without any thinking he started to punch, hard as he could, the trees and rocks around him. His hands started to bleed from the cuts but he didn't care. All he wanted was to let out his anger and sorrow.

"If there is a god in heaven, I curse him for letting me to set my eyes on this beauty, letting me have forbidden and ridiculous dreams!"

They say god is good and fair, but how can he be good when he throws this precious beauty over him, dazzling him, enchanting him, but forbidding him to have her? For John, only a cruel god could exist, or just a very cruel world, which he didn't belong to and never would.

Or…


	15. Poison and a dress

**I`m in good mood right now, Have just finished my summer-course (I could find any job) and has a free week until the school starts again. It fells so good! Sleep mornings, sunbathing and party. Thats my scheme for my upcoming week. :-)**

**Great thanks to Whitewolfspirit who helped me with the grammar and the spellings. Thank you!**

**Enjoy!**

**Creature and the Maiden chapter 14.**

"Have you notice something strange with John lately, asked Laura when she and Ester were heading towards the butcher shop.

"Not exactly, why?" Ester asked, knowing already the answer.

"He seems so sad and puzzled. Sometimes when we talk to each other, he seems so distant and close at the same time. Like he wants to talk to me but cant. Then there is movement he just wants to all alone and just sit down by the riverbank and do nothing, just gazing at the water."

"Maybe he`s confused about feelings, maybe he want to move out and go to find his family?"

"But he doesn't have a family; he told me that his father abandoned him when John was a little boy. I don't think he have any good feelings about him or wish to meet him."

"Sometimes you wish to know the answers of your questions. Like; why did he abandon me? Do I have a family, a brother, a sister or an aunt? Does he have any feelings for me etc? I think that is going through his head right now. High feelings or not for his father," Ester said wisely.

Laura admired Esters sensible explanations but she had a feeling that the sense overshadowed her sensibility and there was something Ester was hiding from her, but she couldn't explain what is was? They walked in to the butcher shop, legs from sheep and pigs were dangling over the place and chicken with no heads and feathers handing near the windows, causing flies swarm. Laura hated the shop, nothing wrong with the butcher and his son, they were nice. It was the smell of raw meat and blood she wrinkled her nose and tried not to breathe. While answering back to Ester with a low voice.

"Perhaps, but I`m worried about him. He doesn't answer my questions of his scars. He says that he got hurt by an accident."

"If he doesn't want to tell you about his past, let him be. I think he wants to be alone sometimes and you shouldn't bother him."

"It doesn't bother him," Laura said irritated, trying to not gaze up on the dangling legs of a pig. "He likes when we come and visits him, and when we are going back home again it pains him most. He`s so sensible."

"And temper and big muscles. Ester murmured while ordering a couple of lamnchops by the butcher. The butchers' son Adrian came in and smiled shyly at Laura behind the desk.

"Good evening Miss Galinette, how are you today." He said smiling, showing his very nice dimples on his cheeks.

"I`m fine, how are you."

"Very fine, what`s for today miss, lamp chops, chicken breast or a leg?

"Oh nothing, I`m just here with Ester," she explained and started to blush, Adrian wasn't really handsome, he was more cute than handsome with his brown wavy hair, green eyes like Laura and a very nice warming smile . That made Laura fell uneasy again, like when she`s with John.  
"She`s staying with me and my family now", Ester explained and gave Adrian a big smile. "She couldn't live all alone in the forest anymore so she has moved in to our house.

"Really! when congratulations Laura. I was a little bit worried when I heard of this weird creature lurking around the forest, it must been terrible. Adrian smiled again and putted an extra lamb shop in Esters basket.

"A small present for your well being." He winked back at Laura.

To add more spices in this soup and her new formed plan, Ester added. "Laura has really become one part of our family and we are doing our best to make her happy and let her get the chance to meet new friends." She continued. "I have heard there is going to be a party at Monsieur Laderoutes barn, is going to be singing , dancing and everyone is going to be there. Me, Toby, our eldest children and of course Laura…" Added extra in Lauras name. "So I really hope you`ll be there to," Laura gave Ester a hidden harsh look on hers attempt playing matchmaker.

"If it pleases Laura of course! It would be wonderful!" Adrian said happily.

"Sure she is." Ester added and gave a small pinch on Lauras arm. Laura avoided another of Adrian's charming smiles and only gave a small nod, blushing. She hated it. There is no frustrating than Esters playing to merge her together with a boy. Thinking about dancing and meeting people and have a good time, made Laura think about John. It was such a pity that he couldn't come and with them. Everyone would stare. She wished he wouldn't be so lonely.

In the corner of the shop, there came some bark and Laura turned her head to gaze on four little puppies in a basket. They all had big dark brown fluffy fur with yellow, white spots on their legs and stomach, big pointed ears and small noises.

"Oh how adorable! I love puppies!"

She couldn't help but smile, went down and reached her hand and petted their heads. "Miny got them two months ago. We are trying to sell them, we can't afford to have five dogs and my mother is already frustrated that they keep pissing in her shoes. Adorable but insufferable," she says. Adrian explained.

"That's so sad, they are so cute."

"They are mix breeds, Miny is a schaefer but she had a small honeymoon with the Saint Bernard's dog Mr Tolouse is having, so probably they are going to be very big dogs when they grow up.

Looking down at the adorable puppies in the basket, there was one special puppy that stole her heart. She pointed at it; "How much does this puppy cost."

Adrian looked at the puppy Laura was pointing. "That one is one of the biggest in the group, my guess he`s going to be a very big dog when he grows up, but he`s the nicest. He'll plays for awhile, and then he just wants to flop down beside you and cuddle up. But if you want him you can have him for free, but be prepared when he wants to jump up to your lap, he`s heavy, but you are going to love him."

The big puppy jumped down from his basket and started to fawn Laura and lick her cheeks.

"I`m sure he will," she whispered to herself.

--------------

John couldn't believe in his eyes when he gazed down at the puppy that was cuddled up in Lauras arms. He had seen dogs before but never puppies. John thought it was the cutest thing ever.

"What?" He whispered.

Laura placed the puppy down the ground. John kneeled down, gently clapping his hands together. The puppy was very big comparing the original size but that didn't matter for John or Laura, it had the most innocent black eyes you ever seen and seeing this new human friend, the puppy nearly slid across the floor in his rush to greet him. John stroke his hand over the soft fur, it was the softest he ever touched and couldn't help laugh when the puppy started to lick his fingers. Finally he picked him up and hold him tenderly. "He's so cute."

"He`s yours, I thought you needed some company except for the goat." Laura smiled and scratched the puppy's ears.

"Really! Is he mine?" John couldn't believe is own happiness and this small creature licking happily at his cheeks with his priceless and pure affection in his eyes.

"Dog is mans best friend they say. They are friendly and loyal! But he needs a name."

"I don't know what to name him." He thought back the days when he to was unnamed, not pleasant at all to know who you are if you don't have a name. He is going to give this sweet puppy a fine name. " Maybe you can help me out with that. We should probably eat while we think, though."

John had taken good care of the cottage. He had fixed the roofs, added more vegetables in the garden and fixed new chairs and a table, not exactly beautiful but steady to sit on. Wildflowers in a old vase were laying on the table. They were beautiful and Laura couldn't refuse and sniffled at the pink flowers.

"It`s a beautiful day don't you think?" John added, watching Laura smelling the flowers with closed eyes.

"Yes, I missed the sunlight and the warmth, there is nothing refreshing than watch the flowers blooms." Laura smiled and started to prepare the chicken she had brought with her. John kept on playing with the puppy on the floor like a child. The puppy has so much energy that it keeps on running circles around John as he pretended to catch the puppy. Smiling down at Johns happy face, she glad he was smiling again and not looking so sour all the time.

"I`m glad too see you smile again, you have been a bit odd lately."

"Well…I have been thinking a lot, that's all," He murmured, pretending to be very busy with the dog and avoid eye contact with Laura. He`s been upset and sad after what Ester had said to him. He damned wished that woman to have never said that. But what can he do, he had this thought ´s before. Ester has only enlightened it. That why he decided to end this nonsense and let this love burn down. It only causes pain and silly misery for himself.

_"It's better to be friends. Yes! Good friends and nothing more. That's the best choice, both me and Lauras sake."_ He thought to himself

But why must be so hard to let this come to an end, it`s almost impossible. That's why he`s been so cold and alone lately.

"About what?" She wondered. Thinking back what Ester had told her. "Is there something you need to talk about?"

"No, not really," he murmured blankly and kept on playing with the puppy. She could sense he was lying. That there was something he was hidden, so she stopped preparing the chicken and stood straight in front of John. Cards on the table!

"Yes it is, I can see and hear in your voice and how you avoiding me. Is there something I have done to upset you, hurt you? Is there something you want to talk about, are you lonely or is it your…father?"

"What about him?" He glared up at Laura. He stopped playing with the dog and starred with cold eyes into hers.

Laura felt nervous that she brought up the subject. She knew he didn't like to talk about his past, but there was something in his eyes, a longing of something she couldn't explain. "Well… is there something you have been wondering about him?

"There is nothing to talk about my father. He left me when I was most vulnerable and I have no wish to meet him again."

"I`m sorry, I just...I know how it fells to be alone with no family. There is nobody left on my mothers' side and I have never met my father cousins' family but I have wondered sometimes if…"

"Let me tell you this." John interrupted. "The way I`m acting this way is because of my own good... and yours. I can't explain but it's for the best." Tried pretend to not fell the pain in his chest, which was starting to pound like hell.

"My own good and yours, I don't understand? Why are you doing this if this is for my own good? " She moved down and placed a hand on Johns shoulder.

"I care for you John; I don't like to see you sad. Something pains you but you refuse to tell me what it is. Is it what friends are for?" Something in his eyes changed when he felled Laura so close to him, he could smell her scent; see her freckles around her arms and few on her nose, her lips that have the color like a rose. She was like poison, a drug. He will never be cured from it!

"Friends, just only friends and nothing more. That's the best way, don't you think?" Starring blankly at her. He was in his own world. Feeling insecure for her feelings again, Laura blushed and thought back at the butcher shop and Adrian. It was the same feeling she had before. The feeling when you`re trying to make a contact with a certain person but don't know what to say or do. Because you don't know what would happen next.

Was he suggesting…no it can't be!

"John, what is it you`re are saying?" She whispered. Looking at this man now shivering form and how he have turned his head and let his hair fall down to hide his face. He was breathing very hard, like he was suffocating.

"John, please tell me…"

"DAMN YOU! You are so naive, Why cant you just leave me alone! He turned his head and starred with indignant look. Then he grabbed her hair hard and moved closer to him instead pushing away. Face to face with each other. Laura stopped breathing and John the same. He grabbed her arm hard and tears were starting to develop in her eyes from the pain. But she kept on starring into his eyes. Johns head was spinning like mad.

_"She is poison, one sip and you`re suffer pain and a miserable death. Let go of her or you both end yours and hers life…and the friendship, forever. She nothing for you, she can have a life but you cant, she is a ordinary human with friends and family, you have none. She will get tired of you, regret that she choice you instead of a handsome and rich man…She leave you…"_

Without any thoughts except of the passion, the sadness and the anger that was burning in his chest and floating through his veins, he grabbed Laura and hugged her close to him, pressing her body against him tight. Laura was to in shock to understand what was happening. In his blurred state, he pressed his dry lips on Lauras throat, feeling her pulse, her blood pumping fast through her veins and then gave a passionate kiss on her neck.

He took in her sent and taste of her skin. Half sitting and half lifted up, Laura gazed up at the ceiling and couldn't exactly describe what was happening. She had been kissed on her cheeks and a small on her lips, but nothing have ever prepared her as this. Never had she thought such a kiss on her neck could cause such a shiver through her bones and skin. That her neck could be such so vulnerable place and it was John doing it, she could feel his lips sucking lightly and his teeth brushing over her skin. His hair touched her face and her lips near his ear. She had her hands over his arms but she didn't have any strength to move away. Trying to figure out if she should fight back or to stay like this and letting him kiss her? The only thing she could think of was closing her eyes and let the time fly away. He breathes heavily on her neck, near her ear, tracing his warm hand over her right cheek and her neck, and keeps trailing down over to her right breast.

Laura eyes still closed, letting this new sensation float over her.

But instead of moving his hands under her shirt, he stopped and froze on his movements. Then he moved away and threw Laura away and backed against the wall, like she was something dangerous and burning. His face was white and starred terrified at Laura's half closed eyes and the red mark on the neck.

_"What have I done…?_

"I`m sorry, he whispered, starring terrified at Laura. "I…I…I didn't know what came over me, I just… FORGIVE ME! He shouted at the last word and rushed out from the cottage, taking the puppy with him and smashed the door hard behind him. Leaving Laura at the floor, blushing, confused and chocked of this sudden realization and this sensation. Something she had suspected but never believed it until now.

He loves her!  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After that, John totally disappeared. When Laura and Ester came with his food, he wasn't there. Sometimes he touched the food but often it was untouched and flies were over it. She called after him, begging him to show himself, she wanted to talk to him but he was nowhere to be seen. To hide her kiss mark on her neck from Ester eyes and questions, she putted a shawl around her throat and said she was having a cold. John didn't exactly say it but they way he did it, proves almost everything.

John has fallen in love with her.

The way he has treated her for the past weeks, from cold to warmly smile, then regrets and going back to be cold again. Was he regretting? Regretting for falling in love? Why is that? When Laura couldn't find John or responding to her call, she was both sad and relieved. Sad that she have lost her dear friend but little relieved to not meet face to face again. For what should she say? What would he say? To be honest she didn't know what her feelings were for him? When he kissed her, he opened a small door that she never has gazed upon before. Something it was both good and bad. She wasn't naïve of the pleasures and the passion that lies behind it and joy to share another human's feelings and body. She have read about it and watched sweet loving couples holding hands together at the market, giving each other kisses and hugs etc.

She dreamed and read about it but actually never done it.

There was something, something very dark that laid deep in Laura's mind. She has never told Ester about it or her grandmother, because she was too ashamed. She was afraid that the dark would come up again. That his lips and body would remember something she tries so badly to forget.

But when John traced his lips over her skin, butterflies was flying in her stomach, her cheeks got red and everything felt so…strange, but in a good way. She forgot everything around her and let him hold their bodies close.

The day has come when Mr Laderoute is going to have a party in his barn. Everyone was invited but Laura felled not quit in mood to join it. Sketching a drawing, she laid down the grass outside Bovarys house and tried to ignore Esther when she was hanging her laundry and babbling about the party.

"Oh how fun it will be, it`s going to be the first party this year, the winter has been to cold and harsh to make any social attempt for any of us. I heard that his wife is going to share some of her famous apple-pies and hot apple cider and Mr Laderoute have promised to bring the best band in the country to play. Don't you think it will be fun?"

"Mmm…Wonderful Esther", Laura muttered while she dip her pencil in the water and tried to concentrate to paint a small tree, but all ended up to make a big dark spot on the paper.

"You don't seem to be very happy about it!" Esther said while she finished her laundry and looked down at Lauras paper.

"I`m not in the right mood, I think I pass."

"Why not!? Everyone is going to be there." Esther gasped.

"That`s the reason, I don't know any of this people."

"You know me and Toby, and have you already forgot that Adrian is going to be there, he`s really looking forward you know.

"I know, you`re already told me thousands times." Sighed Laura. "But I`m actually never been on a party before and I can't dance." Not to mention there were going to be a lot of people she wasn't used to. Esther knew that and felt sorry for the girl but before she could say something they suddenly heard horse tracks and looking up they saw a strange rider coming towards them. It looked like to be a delivery man and he had a big package behind him.

"What the…? " Both Esther and Laura were confused at this sudden visitor. They didn't have very many visitors and this was extraordinary. Esther walked towards the rider and gazed up on the stranger.

"Good evening, are you lost?" She asked and looked at the horseman suspicious.

"Are you Miss Laura Galinette Dubios?" Horseman asked, looking at this old woman down him

"No, I`m certainly not, this is Miss Laura." She showed Laura and Laura gave a small curtsey.

"I have a special delivery for Miss Galinette Dubios." He said and handed the package over to Laura.

"From whom may I ask?" Looking down at the package with delicate flowers decorating over the board. The package was flat and quit light, she wondered what it was inside.

"He ordered not to tell you, it`s a secret he said. But he would be very delightful if you would wear it tonight." "Wear it?! What do you mean; I insist that you tell me who it is." But the man was already riding back where he came from and Laura only stood there, her mouth gaping and holding the package.

"Well…I think you have another admirer Laura." Esther couldn't believe her eyes either and gazed down at Lauras presents curiously. "Quickly open it."

A dress of deep green silk and a lot of laces laid inside the box. It was very beautiful and very fancy. There were laces around the neck and sleeves, pearls railed down like waterfalls over the shirt together with some small green emeralds.

"Oh my god, I can't believe it. How beautiful!" Esther moved her hands over the green silk. "Who is it from?"

"I don't know." Laura picked up the dress and gazed over." She has always dreamed to wear a deep green dress again like she did when she was a little girl, instead of her simple brown clothes. But this was beyond her dreams. It was too much!

"Well, it`s defiantly not from John, could it be from Adrian perhaps?"

"Adrian gives me a dress of the latest fashion from his small salary? I don't think so, look at the pearls and the quality of the silk!

"I didn't know that you were that popular Laura. The girls are going to be so jealous and every man will ask you to dance tonight and will never leave you alone!" Esther were thrilled and examined the pearls closely.

"Well lucky for me I`m not going to wear it! A peasant girl like me doesn't wear fancy clothes; this dress is too flashy and has too many laces for my taste. She putted the dress back in the box and gave it to Esther. It was beautiful, but it didn't suit her at all. Whoever brought this dress must have been mad to think that she would wear such a thing.

"Oh don't be such a coward. If I remove the laces and the pearls and make it more decent it will suits you perfectly."

"But I`m not going to the party!" Laura protested "You know what they think of me! They think I`m weird."

"You are not weird Laura."

"But I`m not used to people!"

"You need to start somewhere." Esther said, crossing her arms over her chest and with a settled look. "You have lived to long in the woods and I think it`s time for you to grow up and meet civilized people again."

"But I`m not mind to be alone."

"Yes I know but that I think it`s better for you to make more contact with real world again. I know it been a hard time for you after your father and grandmother death but there are so much to explore. Don't you want to make friends? Learn more about the people in the village or what lies outside than inside your forest; don't you want to fall in love before you grows old?"

Laura blushed when Esther said the word love. Didn't Esther think that she ever thought about the word love before? Especially for these past few days.

"Don't you like Adrian just a little?

"What?" Lauras eyes widened.

"He likes you I think he deserves a chance by you."

"But I have only meet him a few times, I barely know him!"

"And I think he`s a fine boy. Not handsome but he has a loving smile and he`s always been nice and gentle."

"Don't do this to me again Esther, I`m tired of your silly games to put me together with one of the boys in the village. Laura moaned. "They are all so immature and clumsy."

"What the damn are you looking for, Prince charming?" Esther shouted.

"I`m just not in mood for a husband right now," Laura pitched in, but soon quieted down at the glare she was receiving from a sour Esther.

"That's because you`re so picky, Let me tell you this…You are not going to find your prince charming or letting wait for him if you keep pushing away every boy you meet. You maybe shy but you will overcome it and find great pleasure to join other people's conversation, and perhaps meet a nice boy. All you need is to give him and the people a chance."

Laura thought about it. Was Esther right?! The only way to get rid of your fear it`s to face the fear with your own eyes and learn how to control it?

"I`m not saying that you should rush, All I ask of you is give it a try, take small step at a time. Give Adrian a chance, you`re not going to marry him at the first dance. (Actually, it`s what Esther's hoping for.) I guarantee that after the party, you`ll think it was your best evening ever and it was nothing to be afraid of."

Looking down at Esthers begging eyes, she gave up.

"Alright I will go, but you must remove the laces, pearls and emeralds from the dress and make it plain as possible or I will not go."

Satisfied of Lauras answer, Esther gave Laura a big hug and started to whistle when she headed back to the door to fix Lauras dress.

Perhaps it was her answer of her problems? Laura thought, plus she really needed a timeout from her thoughts and feelings on John for a while.

She confessed she was afraid. Not because of his love for her or his appearance (Now she thinks he`s kind a cute.), its how to handle it and make the next step!

And if she did make the next step, what would happen next?


	16. Party

**Creature and the Maiden ch 15.**

**Happy Halloween everyone! I`m on the way to a big Halloween party! I`m dressing as a vampire with big fangs, white hair and black sexy dress. **

**Sorry for the delay of the story again! **

**Thank you Jennifer for helping me with the grammar and the spellings! :-) **

**Happy Halloween and enjoy the chapter!**

**/eitherangel**

Even though spring had come, the air was still a bit cold. Laura pulled one of Esther's scarves around her to warm herself and to cover most of the green dress she was wearing. Esther had removed most of the jewelry and the lace to make the dress as plain as possible, but it still held a very high elegance and the green silk was smooth and shiny. She, Esther and Toby and their daughter had just arrived to Mr. Laderoute's big barn where the party was just starting. A violin, flute an ddrums were playing and the sound of laughing and dancing could be heard. Laura gulped as she heard the sounds of people. It had been many years since she last joined a big crowd and she had never, ever been to a party. For the eighth time this, evening she blamed herself being so stupid as to listen to Esther's advice. It sounded alright then but now that she was going in to the party, she was not so sure.

"Esther, I think I'll pass. This was a stupid idea!"

While she turn around and started to walk back to the cottage, "Oh no you don't!" Esther grabbed her by her arms and drug her to the door, "You promised and remember what I said."

"And I wish I hadn't, but alright!" Laura said, giving up by looking into Esther's determined eyes. "15 minutes and no more, then I go!" Laura muttered and walked with heavy steps into the barn.

"Not until you try to dance with one of the beaus, then you can go."

"Thats blackmail and its not far! I don't know how to dance and I will not do it!" Thinking of dancing and being spun on the dance floor by a total stranger, made Laura turn around again and once again be caught by Esther.

"Too late now!" she whispered while they entered the big barn. She was determined to give Laura a small taste of civilization and give her the chance to meet a nice boy to dance with. She was hoping even more that the boy Laura would meet, she would like or Esther was going to have to force the young girl against her will.

The barn was simple but very big. Mr Laderoute had hired the most professional musicians from the city to play. There were a buffet of hot cider, beer, meat pies and cookies, everything looked delicious and the guest enjoyed tasting Mrs. Laderoutes popular apple pies. Men and women shared dances or talked to each other at the corners of the dance floor. The noise of shouting, laughing and the sound of dancing feet were overwhelming and Laura stood there speechless at the door. The new arrivals and the sight of Laura's red hair, made some of the guests turn around and gaze at this exotic creature that has entered the barn. At first they didn't recognize her. Laura's hair was combed and pinned up with a green lace, leaving a few red curls trailing around her shoulders. Her face was clean from dirt and was white as snow with a few freckles on her nose. But the most shocking was the dress she was wearing. Without its pearls and lace it still stood out and not even the ladies of the higher class could ever compete with her. Most of the men couldn't take their eyes of her beauty while the girls in her age were staring jealously at her and started whisper to each other.

"Isn't that witch's granddaughter? Is that Laura? What is she wearing? How did she get that dress? She`s probably…" was all she could hear while she walked past them.

Laura was prepared that everyone would be staring at her hair and the dress like that, but never has she expected these kind of reactions. Never had she felt this awkward in her whole life. She didn't know if she should be flattered or embarrassed. She wished she had her old clothes rather than the dress she was wearing. Before, she believed that perhaps nobody would notice her or make a big deal of it. But now she got it all wrong.

"Good God! Esther this is insane, nobody is dressed like this. I'm feeling like a peacock," she whispered rapidly to Esther.

"Well..." Esther stammered, feeling the same way but she kept on smiling, "It`s already too late, everybody is watching and it would be more embarrassing if we turned away right now. Just put this shawl over it so it's less revealing," she said, placing the scarf quickly over Laura's shoulders.

"It`s not going to help. Not even the upper class Ladies are dressed like this!"

"Why do you have to think that way? I think you look very beautiful." Adrian suddenly appeared and gave one of his warm smiles to Laura. He was properly dressed in a dark blue suit and had his hair washed and cleaned, which was bit different from his usual bloodstained apron and fingers. Very surprised of his appearance, Laura tried gaining the remains of her confidence and tried to stop blushing, "Oh thank you… but I think I need to go back home, I got this dress as a present but I think I need to go and change."

"No, please stay, you look splendid and I would be very honored if you would dance with me."

"I…I don't know how to dance," she whispered.

"Then I will show you, don't worry," he said, holding his hand out to her.

Taking his outstretched hand and entering the dance floor with him, Laura could feel a hundred eyes on her as they danced and she prayed that she could keep her blush down long enough. When Adrian instructed her the first dance steps, which was not as difficult as she thought to be, her worried glance turned into a smile and she felt herself relax in his arms. His hands were warm and he was very patient when Laura stepped on his foot or missed a step. She tried ignoring the stares she was receiving from the guests; knowing the fact that they saw her as an outcast and little bit weird. Their heads were probably spinning because of her appearance. But Adrian's smiling face made her calm and she let herself enjoy the dance. When the song ended, she smiled warmly at him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks for the dance, Adrian.

"No it's me who should thank you Laura. I was hoping if you want to take another…"

"I think need some rest, I`m little bit tired," Laura added quickly. Adrian was a nice man and was very friendly to her, but her feelings for him were mostly in the level of "friendship" and nothing more. She managed to learn how to dance a little and especially with a man and she really enjoyed it. But that would be enough for her on climbing at the social steps for tonight.

Adrian nodded and escorted her to a seat. It didn't take long for one of the girls to notice Adrian was free and ask him to dance. With her blessing, he went back to the dance floor with his new dance partner.

Feeling some sort of relief, she sat down, watching the couples dancing on the floor. Esther and Toby were having a great time, spinning around again and again and not caring if they prodded the other dancers and made fools of themselves. Seeing their happy faces, Laura started to think about John. Deep inside, her heart started to ache; she never thought she could miss him so much.

'_What`s he doing right now? I hope he`s alright?'_

She wished he could be there beside her and enjoying the party. Dancing, cheering and joking together and not avoiding each other. Well, it was he who was avoiding her, which a little bit irritating…and sad. She wanted him to know that she didn't think him as repulsive or ugly. The kiss he gave on her neck was a little bit of a shock but not terrifying. Damn, she wished he could be here right now so she could talk to him once and for all!

A sound of footsteps and two shadows towering over her broke through her thoughts. Two girls had decided to approach her while she was sitting and Laura recognized one of them as Linda La Auel, one of the snobbiest girls in town and source of all gossip. The other girl that belonged to her "court" was called Jeannie. They glared jealousy at her dress but gave a fake bright smile to Laura.

"Well what have we here, isn't it Miss Galinette? How wonderful to see you, how are you doing?"

Laura raised an eyebrow at Linda's comment and her "lovely" smile. Remembering the last time she saw her, Linda was teasing her about her freckles and how simple her clothes had been. To spray more salt, Linda had boasted around with a new dress in front of her and Linda's "court", telling everybody how her daddy was spoiling her with gifts, sweets and dresses.

"_Don't take it seriously Laura, not everyone fits in a nice dress," Linda had said. "It depends on the color! Some people fit perfectly in blue, others yellow and some in red. But if they use another color, they would look entirely ridiculous. And you and with your red hair, the color brown suits splendid on you. Seeing you in pink or yellow would look awful on you. Not to mention silk, ribbons and lace. So my advice to you is to always wear brown, because that's your color and nothing else."_

Then everyone laughed and Laura walked away, humiliated and angry. Seeing Linda, acting like they were best friends, made her feel suspicious.

'_Whats she up to?'_

"I`m fine, thank you very much Linda. How are you?" she replied with a cold voice.

"I`m perfectly well, thank you!" They both gave big smiles and went down and sat on each side of Laura, starting to pick gently at Laura dress.

"Oh my, I have never seen you in such a beautiful dress before. It`s very different from you old one." Linda added sweetly, "It must have cost a fortune."

"I`m sure it did," Laura muttered, wishing Linda and her companion to a very far away land.

"I have been worried for sometime about you, Laura," whispered Linda in a sentimental tone. "Living all by yourself, nobody who can provide for you or give you some protection, but I see now that there is nothing to worry about."

"Whats that suppose to mean?" she asked, feeling Linda's "compassion" getting more and more unpleasant.

"Well, even you don't have a fortune or a family, you have got a quite an attractive look and every girl knows what kind of a weapon it can be if you use it right."

Realizing what Linda was pointing at, Laura stood up from her seat and started to move towards the exit. Her cheeks burned with anger and she wished that she could rip off her dress right then and get rid of it. Linda and her friend followed and stopped her by blocking her way.

"I'm deeply sorry Laura, I didn't mean to offend you or anything."

Laura wasn't a fool. Seeing Linda's malicious pleasure in her eyes and the enjoyment to humiliate Laura in the deepest level, the temptation to give her a hard slap on her face was not far away. Or perhaps taking the bowl of hot cider from the table and pouring it all over her, would be very pleasing.

"If you think I`m some kind of a whore, you're very wrong!" Laura snapped back.

"Oh don't get me wrong! It`s not that I`m jealous of what you're wearing. I quite admire your bravery and how you have finally realized your potential. You're poor but you have beauty, and that's a ticket for climbing on the social ladder, even if will be a few steps for you and a little bit…dirty. But thinking about your poverty and how miserably you're living, perhaps it's the best and the only way?"

Pouring the hot cider over Linda started to sound more and more like a very good idea, including drowning her in it with her own hands.

"I can guarantee you that the only thing I will climb on is into Toby's wagon and get away from here and from you. I may be poor but I would never be someone's whore!"

"But who did you get the dress from then?" Linda asked sweetly. "Everyone is talking about it and it looks very very expensive."

"Well by me of course!"

Laura's heart began pounding in her chest so hard she thought the whole world would be able to hear it. Fighting her body not to run, she managed to turn around slowly to see Pierre's smirking face. Both Linda and Jeannie's mouths dropped open in surprise.

"Good to see you again Laura! My, my!" His blue eyes glinted with amusement while he looked at Laura. He wore a fine, tailored suit, a golden watch and a big ring on his finger. Looking like a snob as always.

"You`re really the queen at the ball, just as I`m the king!" As if that wasn't enough, he took Laura's hand and kissed it. Feeling his lips on her fingers, woke Laura up from her shock and she took her hand back from his gross lips.

"Good Evening, Mr. Rochester," she said as calmly as she could. It was a long time since she has last seen him but his eyes still made her skin crawl. She never thought that it could be Pierre to be the messenger. After that stormy night, she hadn't seen him for a while and the only thing she heard was that he was out of town on a small vacation.

"I told the tailor to make something that's fit for a redhead and from what I can see he really made a good choice. You look absolutely amazing. I`m glad you`re wearing it." Linda and her friends' eyes looked like to poop out any second from their holes. Jealousy and anger showed in Linda's clutching at her fan while starring back and forth at Laura and Pierre. But then she changed her face quickly and gave a lovably smile at Pierre.

"Oh it's just you who gave her this dress, how generous of you. I must say it's very kind of you to give her some clothes, thinking of her position, the only dress she has is her old brown one."

"Yes of course, she deserves to be dressed like a lady and show which rank she really belongs to. Don't you think so …Miss Dubios?"

The feeling that her brain had turned into ice when he pronounce her real last name, made Laura take several steps back from him._"How the devil did he get it?_." Linda looked more confused than ever at Pierre's last words. "Miss Dubios? Don't you mean Miss Galinette?"

Laura gulped when she saw his amused look in his eyes, it frightened her.

"How did you…"

Without asking her permission he suddenly swept her up into the dance floor, holding her closer than what was proper and started to spin. He leaned close, his breath were tickling her ear, giving her goose bumps.

"You are an exceptional dancer Miss Dubios," he whispered making her shiver. "I got a little bit jealous while you were dancing with Adrian. But he is just a butcher boy. I hope you will never dance with him again."

"Who I dance with is none of your business, and enough of this play! How the hell do you my last name?!" Laura snapped, trying to realize herself but Pierre held her tightly, forcing her to dance. Looking around desperately after Toby or Esther, she found them far away, eating pies and sharing a loud conversation with some people and Adrian was nowhere to be seen.

"I have my connections and a bigmouthed doctor. Let me tell you that I was very surprised to hear that you father was very rich and you lived a very comfortable life before you moved here."

"Then you have also heard he went bankrupt and left me nothing, so for your own sake you better give up right now," Laura said, trying hard to control her angry voice.

"Oh it's not the money my dear." He replied while he tried to kiss her, but Laura moved her head far away from him to avoid his lips. "Even though you don't have any money, you still have your name and that's enough to move into the higher ranks and become a real lady again. All you have to do is to throw yourself into my mercy and I will help you."

"If that's what you think I will do, then you`re totally wrong! And do you know why? Because you`re nothing more than a bastard, creep and a pervert who thinks of nothing other than your own looks and money."

"Don't be such a bitch, Laura. You accepted my dress and half of the guests already believe you`re with me. You heard what Linda said! They think you have become some kind of a mistress."

"You're lying you jerk!"

"You have to be really careful about what you say or do Laura, or else Mr. Crottington may know it." With hard look in his eyes, he gave her a hard pinch on her left ribs with his fingers.

"Mr. Crottington?" she whispered. The ice feeling in her brain moved down to her stomach.

"Yes, Mr. Crottington. It would be terrible if he heard what a miserable life you`re living. But he doesn't need to know if you just…"

Laura hissed and suddenly she moved her head towards Pierre, giving him a hard hit on his head with her forehead, making him loose his grip so she could free herself and back away. After giving him a hard hit with her heel on his foot, she ran fast as she could out of the barn, heading towards the road.

The only thoughts in her mind were the past minutes of anger and terror of Linda's wickedness, Pierre's offensive proposal and his threat by informing Mr. Crottnington where she was. Thinking to meet him again was… she couldn't think of it. Her stomach started to hurt and tears were starting to develop in her eyes.

'Damn him, damn them all!' She shouted.

How could she be such a fool to go to this party, wearing this dress and perhaps make some new friends? How stupid was she to wear something that didn't belong to her class and after what Linda has said; it made her feel like a…slut. What if Pierre was right about the guests? Did they really think that she accepted his gift as a testimony for being his mistress? That she was his mistress and was giving her body to him? Thinking of it made her feel sick to her stomach again.

Blinded by the dark and her tears, she didn't see for seemingly out of nowhere, a dark coach came straight directly down the road and was coming towards her. Thinking it to be one of the townspeople heading home, she paid no attention to it, until long arms reached down and lifted her up from the road and pulled her in into the coach. Trying to scream, a hand wrapped over her mouth and covered her sounds. Laura tried to twist violently away from her captor, but she got nowhere for the arms that held her were very strong. The coach was dark and she saw almost nothing.

Suddenly she noticed there was someone sitting front of her and by the small lighting from the moon, she saw glimpses of Pierre's smirking face looking at her.


	17. Violence

**Yes! I know you have all been waiting eagerly, especially after the nice cliffhanger I made on the last chapter. Poor poor Laura! I`m so cruel! :P **

**Beware that this chapter is kinda dark and there are some F-words in it and some violence. But I promise you that you`re going to love it! **

**Great thanks to Jennifer B for helping me to correct my grammar and spells.**

**Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy the chapter!**

**Kiss and hug eitherangel**

**Creature and the Maiden ch 16.**

"Like I said, you deserve much better Laura."

As Laura gazed up at her kidnapper, she felt a cold shiver pass through her. She tried to scream, but an old, smelly rag was stuffed into her mouth. As she tried to spit it, out the man behind her tied her arms tightly, then retrieved something from his pocket. Wet cloth was pressing over her face. She felt something sweet tingling at her nose and her head started to spin. _No! __This is not happening to me, it's just a dream, a bad dream. _She let out a muffled shout as tried to turn her head away from the cloth. Her heart pounded at the thought of being violated by this brute.

"Remove the cloth, I think it's enough. I don't want to her fall asleep."

When they pulled the cloth away, she was able to gasp fresh air from her nose. The strange sweetness made her head feel heavy and she had trouble to focus her vision and sense.

"Hellmmm..." She tried to shout, but her voice came out muffled. The stranger behind her, or Duncan, took of the rag from her mouth.

"This will give you a better mood and make you softer." Pierre said.

Instead giving her some breath, Pierre caught her head and put a bottle with some kind of strong liquid into her mouth, keeping a firm hold on her neck. Trying to spit out the bitter whiskey, Laura spat directly at Pierre's face, but he continued to pour whiskey into her mouth and laid his hand forcefully on her mouth to make her swallow. The whiskey was burning her throat and stomach and made her cough.

"Wh…at do y…ou want from me?" Laura asked through her coughs.

Pierre looked at her, with that dreadful smirk playing on his lips. After a moment, he replied calmly, "To realize what an opportunity I'm giving you my dear."

"Bbbby druuugging me? You…must be mad…" She had a hard time trying to control her mouth muscles and the words came out fuzzy.

"Then why do you turn it down? It is an honor!"

What was the honor? To get kidnapped and be drugged by him? Laura stared at Pierre's eyes, trying through her blurring vision to understand his sick and wicked mind. "W-what do you want from me? Why am …I…I so special to you, that you can't leave me alone?" Laura demanded, more forcefully this time but getting Pierre's bottle of whiskey into her mouth again. "You bastard…!" She screamed while struggling to remove her head from the bottle, which the fluids pour out on her face and dress. Trying to kick Pierre in his stomach, she received instead a hard slap on her cheek.

"You're like a mare who needs to be tamed; a wild valuable mare and you've got something I want and you will give it to me, whether you wantto or not!"

"I have nothing that is of worth to you! I'm going to tell the police!"

"It's no use. They will never believe you," he smirked. "If you do, I'm going to tell them you seduced and gave yourself willingly to me. And you will…after a few sips of this," he said, shaking the whiskey with his hand over her face.

She kicked at him frantically and tried to scream, but only received a sharp slap again. Her cheeks where burning and beginning to hurt. Laura wished she could fight, but her strength was leaving and she felt so exhausted by the strong alcohol and the strange sweet drug still tingling in her nose. Before she knew it, she could feel the tears beginning to flow from her eyes.

"Pierre…I don't think this is a good idea," Duncan said nervously. He had thought that kidnapping Laura would be easy and she would throw herself willingly to Pierre. But holding this poor whimpering girl in his arms made him feel nervous. He was Pierre's shadow, companion and servant and knew Pierre's character well: proud, hard-nosed and sometimes very broad. He was a ladies man and he loved challenges, especially ladies with spirits, which was his favorite sport. Seduce them, conquer them, making them believe they are the only one he loves and then leaving them with shame and sometimes…with a child. But the women before had surrendered themselves willingly to Pierre. But this…seeing Laura in distress, screaming, fighting and pleading for her dignity and life. It was not right!

"Are you going against me Duncan?"

"No sir! I just…think it's not right for Laura when she…" Pierre cut off his speech with giving a hard hit with the bottle on Duncan's head, making him shout and almost drop Laura on the floor.

"Duncan, she's mine and I will do whatever I want with her, so get out from the carriage and sit beside the driver if you don't want to enjoy yourself, or else I'll find another who would serve me better than you!"

Afraid, but still insecure, Duncan set the girl carefully on the seat, looking ready to fall if he lost his grip. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. Then the carriage stopped and Duncan walked out and closed the door behind him.

Laura glanced outside desperately, but there were no houses, no people and no light. It was completely dark. She tried to struggle again but a knife pressed against her throat gave her pause.

"One word and you will have a nice cut on your pretty face. Just relax and everything will be fine!" he whispered cruelly.

_No it won't and never will _Laura thought desperately, looking at the edge of the knife which was near her left eye.

Instantly Pierre's rough hands started to loosen and open her clothing. She let out a muffled shout as he lowered himself down to her, pressing her to the sofa.

"Please leave me alone, please!" she pleaded. Never in her life had she felt so vulnerable and at the mercy of Pierre's insanity. Once again, she was unable to resist her drug-induced state and the overwhelming weakness. She was at the complete mercy of the most wicked man on the earth! She felt Pierre starting to kiss her neck roughly and was heading up to her cheeks and lips.

_Oh please god, oh please! John please help me! _The moment she thought about John, even if it was almost impossible that he would hear her or even know where she was, she screamed with all her lungs:

"JOHN!!!"

And again she got another slap. "Will you shut up? The next one will be much worse if you don't keep your mouth shut!" he threatened. She sobbed as her skirt was roughly jerked up.

"And who is John? One of your "lovers" perhaps? Well I wouldn't be surprised if you have been in bed with the devil himself, you little witch!"

"Get off of me!" she screamed, trying to use her teeth to bite him when he tried to kiss her lips. Before she had to, someone grabbed him by his coat and pushed Pierre off of her and threw him outside the carriage. He crashed his head into the door-frame, causing a big bruise and fell to the dirty ground. He couldn't grasp what was happening before a dark shadow grabbed a hold of Pierre's neck, holding tightly and paralyzing him.

John's blue eyes blazed with hatred as he stood there, making Pierre shiver in fear as he saw John scary features close.

"Y-you!" he whispered in horror. Not so far from him, he saw Duncan's unconscious body laying on the ground, with a open bleeding wound in his head. Laura struggled out of the carriage, crying as she tried to release her hands from the strong rope that kept scratching her aching wrist. Her face went pale as she saw Duncan's body and John with a death-grip on Pierre's throat and his feet dangling few centimeters from the ground.

"Don't do it!" Pierre coughed. "Please! I didn't mean to, she seduced me…"

"Seduced you! You, the lowest of all creatures!" John hissed. "I remember the last time you tried to "seduce" her! I was merciful to you, but not this time!"

"Please don't hurt me, please. She's not worth it, she is just a lowly witch…"

Before he knew it, John started to give him several hard punches to his face. Pierre's head was flying side to side like a doll as he received his punishment.

"Don't you ever EVER call her that! She 's mine and mine alone!"

Over and over he hit with fury, until Laura begged him to stop.

"John stop! It's enough, please! He's not worth it!"

John's wrath was terrifying. She had never seem him like this. With a great strength, John released his grip on Pierre. He sank down on the ground, half unconscious, his face all a mess with blood, bruises and a broken nose.

"If I ever see you again, or you even dare to set a finger on Laura again, you're going to wish that I would have killed you now." That was his final statement and he would be damned sure he fulfilled his promise if he ever saw the scum hurting Laura again. After untying the rope around Laura's hands, he lifted the poor maiden up into his arms and disappeared into the darkness, like one of the creatures of the night, while Pierre could do no more than mourn over his pain and humiliation on the dirty ground.

* * *

Once they were far away from the carriage and near a small river, John helped Laura to steady her while she tried to stand up on her feet while holding what was left of her green dress.

"How are you feeling? Did he hurt you?"

"I…I'm fine… but I think I need some water." Her vision kept spinning and her stomach did not feel very well after the whiskey; it felt like it was burning fire in her. Slowly she moved down to the river, led by John and kneeled down to sip some water. But her stomach couldn't hold the whiskey any longer and before she could do anything, she threw up the contents of her stomach on the ground. This sudden movement made her body shiver and her teeth chatter while she threw out all the remains she had from her belly until there was nothing left. John kneeled beside her and held her hair out of her face while she was vomiting, tapping softly with his other hand on her back.

Her head started to repeat the same scenes over and over again. Pierre's abuse and cruelty, his hands over her body and the whiskey that wouldn't leave her mouth.

Never…never had she ever thought that this would happen to her again. This is just a dream! A sick dream she would wake up and forget.

But the dream was real!

When she was finished, she looked down at herself and saw that the dress was dirty and ripped in many places. Touching her burning cheeks and examining her bruised wrists. There were rope-shaped bruises all along them and also Pierre's hard fingers when she tried to fight back. His ugly disgusting fingers…they were all over her!

"Take this thing off of me!" Her lower lip was trembling as she said it and started to rip away the fabric from the dress. His hands were still all over her body. She could feel every inch of him!

"Laura calm down…"

"It's his dirty dress, I hate it! He gave it to me."

"It was him!" John shouted perplexed. "And you accepted it?"

"I didn't know it was from him. If I did I would have never put it on, never come to that stupid party and never…" she burst into noisy tears, "never had to experience this again!"

"_No please, not in front of him, please control yourself. You're strong and independent, remember?"_ But she couldn't control it; the tears kept flowing through her eyes and over her cheeks.

The memories from the past and this horrible event kept hitting her mind and there was nothing she could do. Still crying, and with some help from John, she tore off Pierre's dress and threw it into the river. The dress kept floating up to the surface so Laura threw herself over it and beat it down in the cold water, with only her simple underwear to cover her. She didn't care how her body started to shake and lost it's touch from the ice-cold river.

"Damn him! Damn him! Damn him!" she kept on shouting as she hit the dark water again and again with her hands, until John embraced her fragile body and forced her up to the bank.

"Unhand me!" she yelled, beating his chest, "I can take care of myself, leave me alone!"

"I will not leave you!" He grabbed her and laid her upon his lap, her back facing toward him and his hand clutched under her chest. "Not after what you have been through and how you are trying to make yourself sick."

"And you finally have the courage to show yourself now! Were have you been?! I've been worried sick!" she shouted. She had an urge to hit him, blame him for everything that happened and for letting him treat her like she was a helpless damsel in distress.

"That because I had to think. After what I have done…to you."

"Then you had a lot to think about! If you wouldn't have disappeared, I would have never listened to Esther's silly talk."

"What talk?"

Feeling that she had touched upon a strange area and didn't know what to say, she said sobbing: "Nothing, never mind that. To act like a lady and be "civilized… But I'm not a lady and never will be!" she cried out and clawed at his arms, like a drowning person struggling to come to the surface. "I can take care of myself and nobody shall ever win me or conquer me so LET GO OF ME!"

Turning around and with the back of her hand she slapped his face to the left. Immediately he let her go and cupped his cheek as it flamed in pain.

A tremor of shock at her own actions rumbled through her body. She felt it rise from her feet and shake up through the length of her body uncoiling out into her hands. She stared at them in disbelief. She didn't mean to harm him, it was a reflex, she was angry and sad! But that did not alter the fact that she had still struck him. Seeing his shocked look and how her hand still burned from the hard hit on his cheek. Laura immediately regretted her action.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!"

John's fingers touched his warm cheek, equally as stunned that she had actually hit him.

"Never did I think you would hit me," he whispered. Never had she seen him so miserable. His eyes started to tear and he started to rise hastily from the ground. But Laura kept him down by grabbing his cloak with her both hands.

"Please forgive me- I didn't mean to. I don't know what came over me." How could she treat her friend so badly, after he had saved her from that wretched devil?

"The blow was harder than any other I have ever taken. It came from one I thought would never raise a hand to me." He stared at her intently. Then he placed his hand upon her cheek gently, wiping away the stray tears now falling from her sad eyes. She closed them and turned away.

"Did they…," he swallowed uncomfortably, "Did he manage to finish?"

Laura swallowed as she focused her eyes on the ground. "No, but it was close, so close. He forced me to drink a lot of whiskey, slapping me and he was touching me everywhere…it was awful." Anger surged through John harder and colder towards the man he had saved her from. He looked down at the small creature in front of him. Her damp red locks were pasted to her face, and her underwear clung to her cold, shivering body.

"I'm so sorry I hit you," she whispered. "I shouldn't have struck you after all you have done for me. I don't know what came over me." He could feel her remorse and sadness. The slap had hurt him but it was pure reflex of fear and he could feel that Laura was in a worse state than he was. Was something besides Pierre's attack that had infected her spirit?

"I forgive you," he said. "You're the more important than any other creature in the world to me. And you are in a worse state than I."

Her eyes were puffy and red from her tears and her nose was dripping. The sound of rippling water from the river sounded very appealing for her dried mouth and the bitter taste of the bad whiskey she was forced to drink clung to her teeth.

"I think I need some water," she whispered. "I feel so dirty and thirsty." Carefully John cupped one hand, scooped some water and let Laura drink it. She drank it eagerly and used her own hands to get more. Taking of one of his scarves and wetting it, John stroked Laura's forehead and burning bruised cheeks gently. The cold, wet cloth pressing on her forehead felt wonderful as she lie back on John's frame and let him take care of her. The cold water and the warmth from his chest calmed her a bit.

"You're too kind to me," she murmured. "I don't deserve it!" He stroked her hair softly and rubbed soothing circles in her back again. "How can you be so kind?"

"I have found something that for which I kept fighting." Laura smiled. It felt so wonderful to be so precious to him and to have him holding her near his body; it made her feel so relaxed and safe.

But his temperament and the way he had hit Pierre, and how close he was to finishing him off, made Laura slightly worried of his soul. How long had he been fighting? His soul was honest and kind, but how many times has his soul been beaten by cruel and thoughtless people? How much could it take, and how much had it lost of its pureness?

"You must stop," she whispered. "I saw how your face turned to hatred; you were so close to killing Pierre and I don't want to see you killing anyone, even some deserve it. It's not easy, I know! There are times when you think that no matter how kind or pleasant you are there is no one who sees you because of your face. While those who have evil souls and perhaps a beautiful face or money get away with it."

"I know but when I saw Pierre over you, I just snapped! Do you think that I should have left him unpunished and unharmed after what he did to you?" John muttered while his eyes darkened a bit.

"I don't mind you beating him up, but I saw your face. You were determined to end his life and that I would never forgive of you!"

He hesitated…

"…It sounds like you have a lot of experience!"

"You have no idea," she whispered sadly while she stroked John cheek gently.

"But I understand what you mean! I promise to control my anger and never let you see what happen tonight ever again. But if I ever see Pierre hurting you again...he will be very sorry."

John lifted her into his arms and wrapped his cloak around her small body. "I think my cave is nearby. We can stay there for tonight and get you warm."

"I don't think I want to see Esther yet, not right now." Pictures of a disturbed and hysteric Esther with tears in her eyes and a angry Toby with his gun loaded, wasn't the thing she wanted to deal with, her strength having left her. All she wanted was to go to sleep and, for a few hours, forget this terrible nightmare.

"Laura, there is something in your eyes that I think I need to know." John looked at her with a worried face. "When you cried and mourned over that you should have never listened to Esther and gone to that party, you also said," he paused, "never experienced this again!"

Laura caught her breath. She held it as she closed her eyes again. Watching the sparks fly behind her eyelids, she wondered where she could disappear to out of the blue. She didn't want to answer his question but she had to; he needed, and deserved, to know.

"My life has never been easy. After my father died, everyone treated me like dirt. She whispered. " I…I can't tell you right now. It's not easy for me but I will, soon, at the cave."

Giving a small nod, John carried Laura back to his cave, to let her rest and get warm, but also finally hearing her story about her past and childhood and what she did before she arrived her grandmother. A story that John would never expect hearing or how much it`s going to affect him and her.


	18. Confessions

**When I asked for someone to check through my text to control the grammar and the spellings, I never knew that I would recieve so many people who wanted to help me with the text. I must thank to all of you for loving my story and being so loyal all these years. Updating once a month is not much, its takes time to write, but you have been very patient and loyal.**

**Great thanks to ColeAndPhoebeForever who have offered her hand to help me with this chapter and for giving me wonderful reviews every time I`m publish new chapt! **

**I also want to say thanks to: Megumisakura, IAMYourPhobia, SmilingTiger16, Maritsa Beketova, Dedra the Brave and Jennifer B. For being great supporters to my story. :-) Thank you!**

**Creature and the Maiden ch 18**

"How did you know I was in the wagon?" Laura wondered curiously as John held her in his arms while he walked up the hill. "No one knew where I was."

"By him, of course." He nodded and Laura turned her head to the right. There was a sound behind some bushes and before her eyes, a big shaggy like creature jumped out from the leaves.

"I wondered what happened to you and how big you have become!" She recognized the large shaggy puppy and she noticed that the puppy had grown very fast for the past few weeks and almost reached up to her waist, his paws were almost as big as her hands.

"He`s a good seeker and he followed your smell and the tracks of the waggon but he`s very curious and he loves to run away, so thats why you didnt see him until now...I must confess that I followed you and the Bovarys to the party. I wanted to speak to you but I hadn't the courage, afraid you would be mad or angry at me." John explained slowly. "I watched from the distance but not all the time. Milton is a good dog, but he loves to explore and for a moment I had to look for him in the forest. When I came back to the barn, I heard Esther and Toby calling out your name. They sounded worried, so when they came far enough away from the barn, I appeared for them and wondered what happened. Esther told me that Pierre had been stalking you all night and forced you to dance with him and then suddenly you ran away."

"I wanted to be alone; he said terrible things to me, like becoming his...mistress."

"WHAT!"

"Long story...I will tell you about it, but John, I don't understand his obsession with me? Before I could control it, I needed to give him a cold stare or a slap if he behaved badly. And the girls! You should have heard her!"

"Who?" he wondered.

"Bloody Linda. That damned, excuse me for my language, BITCH said right in my face that I look like a hooker in that stupid dress!"

"You absolutely don't look like a hooker, when I saw you wearing that dress...I almost didn't recognize you. You were beautiful!" Laura blushed a little when she imagined John hiding in the shadows, watching her again. He should have known what she thought about it back then.

"It was the dress that made me look good. I prefer to be without it."

When they finally arrived at the cave, John carefully put Laura down on the ground and started to light up the fire. The cave was a little bit of a mess. The so called "bed" with old blankets and leaves was laaying on the ground like before, except with a few books laying nearby. Two dead hares were hanging on a rope over them. John took one of them and started to remove its fur and the bowels with a knife. Laura lay down on the bed and placed one of the blankets over her shoulders, she stroked the puppy's head, which had curled up beside her in the blankets and started to lick her fingers.

She watched when he prepared the hare and wondered how she would explain her story. It wasn't easy, it felt like her stomach was rolling again and her tongue felt like it was being twisted.

"John." she started and took a big breath before she continued. "You remember what I told you about my father?"

"I remember, you told me when we got stuck during the storm. You lost him at sea. When you were a little girl."

"Yes, and you haven't told me anything about your own father."

"I don't like to talk about my father, I told you before, Laura. He left me when I was a `little boy'," adding it like it was some kind of sarcasm in his tone.

"And I would never force you to tell me about your past when it's hurting you so much. Yes, I want to know who your father was and how you got your terrible scars, but I accept your silence and I half understand why you hate him.

"It's nothing like that, I don't hate him, I'm just mad that he 'created' me. Why he didn't realize before it was too late and didn't take the consequences and the responsibility of my welfare or even my face into consideration." John muttered while he drove the hare through a broach and laid it over the fire.

"And your mother, how she must have been suffering when he left you."

"My mother?" He looked at her wondrously when he realized how much she saw in her perspective about it. It takes two to tango, not one!

"I pity your mother; she must have been terribly hurt after he left you."

John was having a little trouble thinking of some good explanations of this strange situation, for how can you explain to someone that your so called 'mother' is nothing more than thunder and a great lightning Victor had used to spark life in his dead body. "Fortunately she never got the chance to see me. But you would not understand." He repeated back, ignoring her stare.

"Perhaps I can, but you don't need to tell me if you don't want to, although I need to tell you mine. It's important."

"You don't need..."

"But I need to , I think you deserve to know more of my past and my life. What you saw and heard back there...I have never cried so much before or lost control." She whispered, fighting back tears, pushing her body to its limits with corking herself up. Then Laura started to tell John about the first happy years when her father still lived. She was his angel and he loved her so much, but there was the dark moments when her father was worried about his company and the money. Growing up, she realized how hard he really tried and how many hardships he must have been fighting. When he went away to invest in an India ship as a last chance to save his company, he disappeared and never came back. During her story, John have prepared and cooked the hare over the fire, divided it and handed a piece to Laura, but she could only eat a few pieces, she was hungry, but her stomach felt like a big heavy stone.

"I think a part of me died that day." she whispered slowly. "And how Mr. Crottington, my so called 'guardian' told me that he was gone forever and left me all alone. He pretended to sound sad and regretful but I was not a fool. I know what he was up to! First he sold our house, then the furniture, and then he took over the company."

"But he gave you a shelter; he gave you a place to stay, food and clothes."

"Ha! Do you really think that even though you have a roof over your head, you're happy? I thought you understood!

"If I were in your position, I would be very happy that someone took care of me." John responded.

"Not if you're not being shown respect or love! He took from me my life and fortune, everything that belonged to my father; he sold it and kept the money for himself...They were not good to me." She had spent years trying to get over this, to avoid it, and to medicate it from her mind, now she was telling it for the first time in years.

"...go on." John said calmly.

"In a stranger's eyes, you would have thought that Mr. and Mrs. Crottington had great affection for me, but you would also believe everything they said about how bad I was, how ungrateful and spoiled with no compassion at all. I was rebellious sometimes, but I had very good reason for it. Not a single ounce of compassion came from none of them whilst they all tortured me. Their son threw books at me, pulled my hair, called me names, slapped me, and hit me. A few of the servants showed compassion to me and treated my wounds, but that was all. They were afraid that Fredric or their masters would be upset and fire them. Fredric and his mother blamed me for everything and no one saw their evil acts...Except Mr. Crottington." She paused.

John remained silent as Laura spoke, but his eyes were starting to burn with fury over the suffering and torture she described. The story was turning from a bad story into a worse one, one full of nightmarish memories and a lot of tears.

"It was nothing compared to what Mr. Crottington was doing to me. I still recall the first day I met him; he told about my father's death and his debts. He explained my situation and that I could stay with him and his family. I should have known when he first touched me that something was strange. How my body shivered over his big hand when it traced over my back."

John shifted uncomfortably on his seat. Her story was getting him more and more worried with every word he heard from her lips.

"I wanted very much to close my eyes and just look away, imagine that I was somewhere else, anywhere else, besides that room. But my eyes refused to move away from the man I saw. The monster who had taken over my life." She slouched so that her elbows rested on her knees and her hands ran through her hair. "He did nothing to stop Fredrics terror, but after almost every beating he "comforted" me. Saying he will take care of his son and tell him to stop, in some conditions!" She turned to look at him, seeing his concerned and worried face and forced to spit out the final words. "He wanted to touch and do things with me...sexually."

It took a minute for her words to sink in, for him to understand what she was saying. When he did, the ice crawling up John's spine relocated itself to his stomach. He could hardly breathe.

"But you were just a child..." John could feel the gorge rise in the back of his throat. "...No!"

"It didn't matter to him, I was the right age, but I refused and fought back." Laura watched as a strange light entered John's blue eyes, one that she instantly recognized because she had seen it so many times before. He wanted nothing more than to hurt someone...or at the very least, break something. To tear the cave down around him, to destroy everything he could get his hands on. His pure and temperamental mind was crying for her scars on her beautiful soul.

The silence was growing and she couldn't stand to look back up at him so she turned her head and continued to speak

"I avoided him as much as I could. But I was terrified!" She shivered. "And there was one time he almost got me."

"Please...I don't want to hear!" John mourned and put his hands over his ears. The mere thought of the very young, poor girl Laura once had been and the torture and horror she had endured. And this horrible man with his hands over her. It was too much to bear! John looked at the young woman beside him as she fell apart and began to cry. She was a human, she has a normal face, but she was isolated like he was, with her own inner demons to fight.

"God finally felt pity on me, Mrs. Crottington arrived just in time and saw what he was going to do. She didn't say a word, only stared at him and me with her cold eyes, then grabbed me by the hair and dragged me out of the room..." Laura gulped while her tears ran across her cheeks. "She beat me...she beat me until I screamed for mercy and shoved me in a closet and locked me in. I know not how long I stayed there, but do recall coming out looking like a skeleton. It was then Mrs. Crottington decided to place me at the boarding school and she sent me there immediately. It was the only good thing she ever did for me, in which I'm forever grateful."

"Grateful!" John shouted and quickly raised from his feet and thrown the cold meat he was holding in his hands into the fire with a bang. "That woman abused you, you lived in a hell and you're saying that you're grateful! Wasn't there anyone who could protect you?"

"No!"

"Haven't you told anyone about it?"

"No."

"...Not even Esther?"

"She knows that they abused me, but not about Mr. Crottington's attempts."

"And you let them go free! Laura, th...what you're telling me is something you should have said to someone a long time ago." He grabbed her shoulders to look at her tearful eyes. When his hand touched her shoulders she jumped and tried to struggle away. He held her fast and in a moment his ugly face was near hers. "Not even your grandmother?" He whispered and then he took her hand gently in his and traced the shapes of the bruises with his fingers, touching them so lightly while she shuddered at his touch.

"You don't know how I feell about it, I'm trying to forget and live on, but sometimes I still remember the sorrowful days and nights to this very day, for still they haunt my dreams when I sleep...I feel so ashamed."

"YOU have nothing to be ashamed about." he cried out loud, starting to shake her shoulders with his big hands. "Those people are the ones who should feel ashamed; they treated you like a slave and you were just a little girl. A GIRL! Their crimes can never be forgiven and you should curse them to death. These emotions shouldn't be in you, his perversions are not your fault."

"Did you know what Pierre said to me at the Ball?" she whispered, looking with red eyes into Johns blue ones. "He threaten me to tell Mr. Crottington that I was here...My heart stopped. I haven't heard his name for years and when I heard that from his lips...I wanted to..." But John only shook his head and held up a hand to stop whatever she would say. Then he pulled her against his chest and Laura closed her eyes as she rested her chin on his shoulder. For the first time in, perhaps for the very first time actually, John allowed himself to cry for someone other than himself. In his whole short life, He had thought that the whole world were against him, he have suffered hunger, hate, loneliness, people who saw nothing more than his ugly face, thought that he was the devil himself and thrown rocks at him. His life has been awful but hearing Laura story...never have he felled so selfish.

She felt his chest heave as he sobbed silently. His wave of emotion caught her and she couldn't keep her tears from flowing again, but this time for his tenderness. For several minutes they remain silent. The only sounds that were heard was the wind whining outside and the wood crackled in the fire. Milton was looking at them with an innocent, concerned look in his eyes, as he lay not far away from them.

"Why didn't you ever tell me before?" John asked sadly.

"Because I didn't want your pity then," she said. She was choking with the effort to breathe from her nose. "I promised myself to be my own person and never let anyone control me or see me as a victim."

"Because you're afraid of how they were going to react? How their faces turn into sorrow, anger or pity. That they will see you as another person?"

"Yes..."

"Do you think I see you in a different light now?"

Laura took a deep breath and sighed. With its release, she felt some of the tension that she always seemed to carry flow out of her. She gave a small shrug within the confines of Johns's embrace.

"It's in the past," she said. "I've spent years in working through it; I decided to live in the present and never see back." Her eyes drifted to where Milton was and a grin touched her mouth as she watched the big puppy lying comfortable beside them, falling asleep. "You know, building new memories and all," she added.

"But those memories came back, you haven't forgotten about them and do you want to hear my thoughts?" Several seconds followed while she stared at John, her eyes wide and bearing as she waited for him to speak. Finally, he did, and his words brought her immense relief.

"I'm angry and not only angry, I'm mad at those people who have caused you these injuries but I also mad at you for not letting anyone know it, but I admire your spirit. Your spirit is strong and you're a brave woman, but you're also a dumb fool." His hands moved hers that held her face at both sides and she looked up at him with her green eyes. "It`s not a weakness to show emotions and let others help you!" He looked at her sadly, but then smiled weakly.

"I guess you and I aren't quite so different after all," he said. "I'm alone, you're alone."

"You're never alone when someone is with you." Laura said softly to him as she held his shoulder, gently rubbing it. "Thank you John, for being here for me."

Pulling the dirty blanket around her, John tucked her in like a small cocoon; Laura couldn't help to enjoy his careful treatment to make her warm and comfortable as possible, just like the time when she took care of him like a baby. Esther and grandmother, not to mention her father tucked her in when she was a little girl, sometime she said to them that she was too old to have a lullaby or a bedtime story and even went to far to cover the blanket over her head and begged them to leave her alone. How long was it she had a lullaby, how long was when someone told goodnight and kissed her on her forehead? Esther of course but from someone she really wanted to sit beside her bed and make herself loved. When John started to move back, she grabbed him by his wrist.

"Wait! I...um..." Laura hesitated, wondering how she could say she didn't want him to leave. Her mind raced for several long and quiet seconds. "I don't want to be alone," she whispered, slightly embarrassed over her boldness. was Could you...just lay here with me, please." she pleaded, scooting over and, his hand still in hers, pulling him down to lie beside her.

At first, John hesitated. But when he settled down beside her, he welcomed the warmth from her body. As their eyes met, he looked at her, really looked at her, and he felt his pulse quicken again.

"You're not afraid of what I might do to you? Remember what happened back in the cottage? And after what Mr. Crottington and Pierre have done to you, you must think all men are cruel beasts."

"I don't think all men are 'beasts', John, I do have some trouble with strangers and crowds. But when you gave me that...kiss on the neck, I almost had a wish and that would...do more." She gave a slight smile while she buried her head in her hair to hide her blush. _"When did you become so bold, Laura?" _

"I would never treat you like they treated you." he whispered. He was afraid again of how she was going to react, but from her small confession of her secret desire, he took the chance. "But I...I want you, Laura...I want you so badly it almost hurts!" He reached and grabbed a fistful of her hair, caressed the handful of messy curls lightly with his fingers. Laura's heart skipped a beat and she had a hard time remembering to breathe when his face was so close to hers. It was scary that he could make her feel so many things at once, but so exciting. Seeing no fear in her eyes and no resistance, he took the chance and then he pressed his pale lips on hers.

She was frightened at first, but calmed when she felt the warm softness of his lips and how gentle he was. Slowly she started to push her lips with his. He moved his body and lay, hovering over her, supporting himself only by his elbows, avoiding crushing her with his weight. Her soft and red lips were sending sparks of heat through his body and he started to feel dizzy, imagining he was walking on white clouds in heaven. She ran her hand over his face, gently. Her lips were hot and hungry, John had never received such passion before or passion at all in his life.

But then he realized what he was doing. This wasn't right, it wasn`t right at all! He didn't have rights to kiss her. She deserved to know, she needed to know what he actually is. Before it's too late. Forcefully he pushed her gently away. He stared at her, taking deep breaths as they studied one another, her eyes looking up at him with love and desire.

"John..." she murmured.

"I need to tell you something, you need to know."

"You don't have to...I didn't expect you to tell me yours after I told mine. I just wanted you to know my secret." She smiled at him sweetly and started to pull him back into her arms to taste his lips again.

"But you have to, I'm not normal, Laura, I'm a monster!" He moved away from Laura and turned his head away from her worried eyes.

Laura sat bolt upright, her hair in a mess and face confused and upset with his cruel words. "You're not a monster, John!" She moved her hands to touch his shoulder, but he shook his head and pushed her further away. "How could you say such a thing? I have seen your face several times, yes, you're not handsome, your skin is grey and your scars are not nice, but it doesn't matter, I see your soul and it's beautiful! I care for you, John, I care for you a lot! Don't you see that I want you?"

"I see that you do, but you need to know!"

"It doesn't matter..."

"It does matter!!!" He shouted, and then he started to pull away his jacket and skirt, to expose his bare chest to Laura. "It's much more than just my skin, I'm not even born the same way as you or everyone else." Laura felled her head started to freeze like ice.

"What do you mean?"

"I love you, Laura. I fell in love when I knew it wasn't fair for either of us. Esther told me when we were alone that it would be unfair and cruel, that people would think badly and perhaps hurt us. But it would be crueler not telling you who you actually are falling in love with, even if it's a great risk for me. I could have kept this as a secret forever, but you deserve to know." John watched for a moment ,

anticipating a reaction from Laura's pale and quiet form, lying there on the soft bed of dried leaves and blankets, like a small frightened bird. Every muscle in her body was tense and still.

He said the next words with a small and sad voice, showing his bare chest and arms to her; "Look at me, Laura. What is the first thing you think of when you look at this body? How do you think I got these scars?"

"B-by an accident?" She said shakily. She didn't dare to say what she actually thought of as she looked at the big rough scar over his body, crossing his chest and trailing around his neck like a rope. It looked like he had been...

"What if I said that this body is made...by dead people. Not just one, but several. Would you call it an accident? ...For me it is..."

**Reviews please!**


	19. Revelation

**Creature and the Maiden chapter 19.**

She couldn't believe what she'd just heard John say... "...For me it is..."

Laura was so stunned that she lost her speech. She couldn't force the words out when she tried. "You're...made by...dead people?!" she whispered. Her head was spinning and her world was crashing and she didn't know how to make it stop. This was insane. This was totally insane and she couldn't believe it. "Now you're just ridiculous." She rose up from the bed, rushing towards John. "Are you trying to convince me that your whole body is made by dead people, that whoever gave birth to you is not a mother or even god?" Then she looked again at the horrible scar that was trailing over his chest, small sicacs threads were visible in his huge chest.

"My father wanted to play god and searched for perfection. The head on my shoulders is not actually mine. My left arm is not the same as my right, my right leg were not completely stitched so I limped first and had to use a stick to walk properly, the parts inside me have been removed from sick, suffering or violent evil men, from the butcher houses and gallows."

"No, no, no!" she shouted. "You're lying, it's impossible. Don't you see that what you're saying...It's against nature and god!"

"Laura, listen..."

"This is damned impossible!" He could hear her sobbing breath during her crying and how her small hands started to beat his chest hard. Oh how he wishes to never tell her about what he really is, but he must. If he wishes to commend her to the same loneliness and prejudices from other senseless people's talk and action, he must.

"Look carefully, Laura, you can see that no matter if you have faith or not, I'm a blot on this earth." He spilled his heart out to her and he didn't stop. It was like a vacuum just sucking out all of his emotions and he couldn't believe she was actually listening to him. He told her the first minutes of his reborn life, how his creator stared at him with horror and pain over his wretched body and had run away from his newborn "child". Stealing clothes from others to cover himself, stealing food without showing himself because of the painful moments and experience of other people's screams, their stones, their angry and hateful exppessions when they saw his hideous face. The peaceful time when he was the De Lacey "guest" and guardian, when sweet little Eva introduced him to her grandfather who, because of his blindness, treated him as an equal and friend. But how his hopes of a loving family where he could belong got shattered when Felix yelled at him the word "animal!" and chased him away.

Laura didn't stop him once, she didn't tell him to be quiet. But her face was getting paler with every word he was saying, sometimes she shake her head in agony and disbelief. Soon after he was finished, Laura had a hard time trying to breathe, but she managed to whisper, "But how did you find out what you were when you had no friends?"

He picked up one of the books that lay beside the bed. It was red and with a big F written on its front page. "As soon after I learned and remembered the alphabet and the meanings in the books I borrowed, I started to understand the words that were printed in this." He open it and showed her a picture of a hideous skull with different marks and symbols and texts written on it. He handed the odd manuscript over to Laura.

"Take your time reading, Laura, it tells of the months before my birth, my accursed origin, the description and thoughts of my father's hand when he created me. Don't say anything until you have read this book." Laura shook her head again, she didn't want to read, she didn't want to see the truth.

"Read it!" He forced the book into her shaking hands." He had to make her understand; even it meant destroying her pure image of him. The whole book held a story to be told each piece, a heartbreaking and breathtaking story. She tore out of the cave, but stopped just outside. The sky was bright and it was a full moon tonight, the stars had never looked so lovely, but at the same time, so distant. Her back was against the light of the fire, but it was bright enough to see the book.

He shuffled uncomfortably, and then walked a few steps to sit down on the edge of the bed before he fell down. His head was spinning and his world was crashing and he didn't know how to make it stop. Now he did it! He told her his deepest secret; will she still love him or reject him?

Shakenly Laura opened the book and read the first paragraph on the first page. _"To my dearest son Victor, from your father Alphonso Frankenstein."_

_"Frankenstein? Where have I heard that name before?" _she thought. There were strange words and formulas she didn't understand, like chemistry, Inoxcidin and inner biology. But the pictures made her skin scrawl. Victor was not a great artist, but his small illustrations of raw muscles, a skeleton head and inner organs were creepy. She knew this was a work of a scientist, a naturalist who believes no heaven or hell, but somehow she couldn't help but see this journal as a book of black magic, filled with symbols and spells and incantations.

The book was written in German, but she managed to understand what it said. The first pages were about Victor Frankenstein's own thoughts about his new life in Ingolstadt, expectations and dreams. The first thoughts and theories about recreating life. She almost coughed when she read the results when he gave life to a poor stray dog. The great force to wake this dog up from his dead sleep raised Victor's hopes, but his tentative success was shortlived when the animal fell back into his final sleep. The inner eye of Laura ran like a ticker in her mind, telling her the reasons why Victor had dared to create life, when he didn't care about the effects of his actions? Fear of death or the loss of someone dear? Probably! Hadn't she, when her grandmother died and her father disappeared, wished that they would come back? It wasn't fair that two people, whom she loved so much, leave her all alone. It was cruel and heartless of god to do that to her.

But what if he is some kind of a weapon? Except for his scars and skin, his body was tall and possessed a remarkable strength and speed when he moved. She has seen how he easily could lift up a man from the ground, endure harsh weather and cold. John says that he's made by different human parts, but the human body is still fragile. Humans can't run fast like a hare, they don't have sharp eyes like a bird praying for its meat, or a strong nose like a dog. The only thing humans possess, which no animal or plant has, is his brain, with the knowledge to understand, feel and create tools to compensate for their vulnerable form. But John is different! Very different! But he's still a human! She sat, staring out at the night, just a line of pink-purple on the horizon and the rest all dark and light blues. The stars still shone over her while she looked up. Several minutes later, Laura shakily walked slowly back to him. She struggled to come to terms with it all, tears were welling up in her eyes again, but brushed them away before they overflowed. She didn't want to cry anymore. _"Oh my dear lord, please help me." _She thought.

He didn't seem to notice her presence, his face was hidden in the pillow and his arm were over his head, like trying to hide and forget everything, or afraid of what she would say or how she would see him, now that she knew the truth. _"It's still John..."_

At the moment she thought this, he came out of his trance. He was surprised he had not felt Laura's presence right beside him. That thought was soon forgotten because of her appearance. She laid his book beside him, glancing right in his eyes. The light from the small upcoming dawn and the glowing fire had lit up her eyes with a cool green light. By this time, they had been staring at each other for almost a full minute. Until Laura forced herself to snap out of this trance.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"Someone who loves you greatly." he said calmly. "A beast that fell in love with the maiden, whom he doesn't deserve to touch or even love." Laura then felt his two shaking hands cup each of her cheeks. The warmth from her cheeks immediately warmed his flesh, but his fingers were trembling so badly that it was hard to keep in contact with them. "You mustn't want to be around me now that you know my true heritage."

He was clinging to her as if she was his lifeline. But it wasn't fair that he could still make her feel for him when she shouldn't. A disbelieving look crossed her face at this accusation. Removing his hands from her cheeks, she stared angrily at him. "Do you think that what you have told me and proved with this book it would change my feelings for you? You think I can't accept you now?!" She yelled and rose up from her position.

"And do you think it is possible to call myself a human being when I look like this! He shouted back. Did this stupid na`ive girl believe that she doesn't care about his past; she should be terrified and how could she think this would work in a relationship? "What other human have you seen in your lifetime who bore such a horrid resemblance to me and being birth by a mad man?

Laura shook her head again; strong and willful to stand for what she believed. And what she believed, was that no matter what, she would never leave him or lie to him. "Your story scares me, I admit! This Victor has crossed something he never should have passed. Death should never be seen as an ending, but a beginning, that there is something more for our souls after our bodies can't bear to walk and live anymore." She could feel lumps forming in her throat as the emotions began to overwhelm her. "Your birth terrifies me, John, it's unnatural and against the laws of nature...But you're not a freak, John, It's not your fault."

He couldn't force the words out when he spoke. "But do I have a soul? Does a creature like me, who has been made by man's hands and his only faith that our life and body are nothing more than a mechanism? That it doesn't matter how good or evil you are, there is no heaven or hell after our death, only the rotting process when the body is placed in the ground! Sadly, that's what I believe in. There is no paradise for those who deserve it."

She was so stunned that she lost her speech once again. There was one time, long ago when she'd accidently eavesdropped on one of the oldest village people, who had been denigrating with his beer comrades about a Jewish man, who had recently moved into the apartment next to his. The old man didn't like him and he had started to tell nasty stories about him and his religion. One of them was of a creature from Judaic myth, made of stone and mud. "I wouldn't be surprised if he ghas one in his closet," the man had muttered. Curious, she wanted to know more of this story, so her great-grandmother, who in Laura's eyes knows everything, had told her about the Golem. It was a man-and-magic-made monster created to protect Jews against the false accusations of ritual murder. An unintelligent, unhuman and diminutive creature created by Jewish sorcerers by alchemy out of the primal elements of earth, wind, water, and fire. It was treated as a protector, weapon and servant. It couldn't talk, didn't have a mind of its own and it didn't have a soul. Which was the saddest part of its whole being. Young Laura couldn't help but feel pity of this soulless creature. How does it feel to not possess a heart or a soul? Doesn't it have a mind of its own? What if it did? But John is absolutely not a golem! There is no other person in this world, who possessed and proved goodness and honesty to her. She loved him, but his revelation of his true nature, had forced her to see him in another light. There was an instinctive rejection of this unnatural birth and this horrible knowledge. A knowledge that she never imagined to hear or see. What should she do with this knowledge? What could she do for this poor man, with a face like a monster who has a heart made of gold but few who could see it. "I don't believe it; we all need something to believe in." she replied. "Even in this man and thousands of others who think that there is no god or guardian angels, that everything's created in the earth, it's not the finger of god but the nature and us, a complex and unique chemical process in life and death, still kept a small fragment of faith in their hearts. And do you know why? Because the truth and great knowledge is not so beautiful to see sometimes. I do believe in a heaven and a hell. There must be something more after this?! My grandmother believed it and so do I!"

"It's wonderful that you have such faith, but either our faith of god or the science, I'm still a freak of this world."

"How dare you!" the words flew from Laura's mouth before she could control it. "How dare you say such awful things about yourself!"

"I thought you have understood why! You wonder why I call myself a monster?" he demanded., . "You've seen my face and you know what I 'am!" he screamed; rage showing in the deep red blush that now covered half his face. "I`m created by evil men's body parts!"

"It's what you do, not who you were made to be, that counts!" Laura cried, grabbing his shoulders. "Those who have cruel hearts and souls, they are the devils, monsters and demons of this fallen world...And I thought you understood me, John! I told you of my childhood and you know that I've seen and been touched by cruelty, to, from those who I thought were "good" and "better" and you shall not think..." Angrily she yelled out her frustration while John merely stood and stoically took her anger. Suddenly her anger changed into the confusion from the deeper emotions she was feeling for him. "You're selfish to think that you're the only one who suffers because of your face and past, you shall not let your birth affect you to..."

He stopped her at her last words and seized her hands, holding them tight to his chest, but his firm grip was nearly cutting off the blood circulation in her hands. He looked deep into her eyes, emotions of guilt, understanding and sorrow showed, coming from deep within his heart.

"You don't need to tell me, I understand and I'm sorry, but you needed to know." he whispered. The stress and exhaustion of the recent events and revelations had finally emptied her both mentally and physically; she didn't have any more strength to shout or cry over him. Silently he pulled her back to the bed they had shared a while ago. But even while realizing that a part of Laura knew that John wasn't normal, she couldn't help but wonder: Shall they tell Esther and Toby about it? Will Pierre, when he's recovered, tell the village people about John and hunt him down? What sort of revenge will he make?

"Dear John, what shall we do with you?" She whispered sadly.

But rather than worrying over the situation, she made no mention of it and let herself enjoy holding John strong hand. Lying silently beside each other, hands in twined, neither spoke for an endless moment until John spoke with a soft voice.

"Did I request thee, Maker from my clay

To mould Me man? Did I solicit thee

From darkness to promote me?"

"John Milton." Laura smiled.

He nodded. "Precisely."

The young big Milton awoke from his nap when Laura started to yell, at first the puppy whine over the strong vibrations of anger and sadness between his master and this new strange creature. But when these emotions faded away and Laura placed herself next to John and then heard his name "Milton" coming from the strangers' throat, Milton lumbered happily to John's side and placed his fluffy head over John's thighs.

"He looks like a Milton, don't you think?" John said and started to scratch behind Milton's ears softly. From their emotional and philosophical debate and the current drama of their feelings and frustration, none of them didn't have more strength to continue with it. They needed to melt it. But a silent agreement was made, they both knew how it feels to be different and abandoned.

"I think I have never met him, considering he died hundreds of years ago, but this name suits this heartbreaker very well." Laura gave a small smile when she stroked Milton shaggy but still puppy soft fur. Then she moved her hands back off her neck and removed her necklace with the turquoise stone she always wore. Taking Johns hand with hers, she placed the pendant in his hand.

"You remember this? It belonged to my father and was his last gift to me, before he went away. This is my most valuable possession in the world. It is my past, my present, and my future. I want you to have it."

"I...I can't accept this, Laura!" John stammered and strokes his fingers over the blue stone.

"I want you to protect it for me and create your own history with it. See it as a symbol! A promise for our friendship! My father said that with this stone, you'll never be alone and its value is much more than it looks, something I shall never lose."

He wasn't listening to her last words. Instead, he smelled her hair and had his arms around her waist, holding her to him firmly. He was thrilled at the words of understanding; her honesty, trust and love for him. That her feelings were strong, not the feelings of dislike or pity he had thought she would hold for him. But instead they were much more profound! The idea of her feelings and this trust of giving her sacred possession to him nearly melted his heart.

"By the way, you're a good kisser!" She smiled teasingly.

"You mean it?" he asked.

"Yes, it was my first kiss, and I couldn't have shared it with a better person."

"I'll show you again, if you want?"

"Yes."

When he slowly pressed a small kiss on her lips, the newly strange emotions raced through her heart and mind again, but in her whirlwind of thoughts she came to rest on one single realization. All the confusions and sadness suddenly melted away as that new realization filled her. Her heart felt free, lighter and happier than she had ever felt before. In that moment her thoughts came to rest on one single emotion...love...love for John. It hadn't changed when he told her his past, it hadn't changed at all.

_"The hell with you, Victor."_

* * *

After placing Pierre and Duncan's bodies in the carriage and taking care of their injuries, the driver with a great effort, despite the pain in his head and neck from the monster's hands when he had been thrown away from the carriage, he managed to sit up and take the reins. If he had known that this was going to happen, kidnapping a young girl, traveling through the dark woods at night and getting attacked by a wicked demon. He would have either said no or demanded more money for it. His head had hit the ground very hard and knocked him flat on his back, so for a few minutes he had difficulty breathing. But he saw enough: how this demon gave Duncan a hard slap on his head when he came out from the carriage, going in and with one hand on Pierre's neck, forcing him out, with his pants half down, and started to beat him very hard. It suited him very well, thinking of the small cries and pleadings from the poor girl when he tried to ravage her. But taking this crying and chocked girl with him, saying "She's mine!" before the Demon moved back into the shadows and disappeared, It was horrible! The Village needs to know! They must hunt him down and save this poor girl! Immediately! Suddenly a small thought came up in his hurting head. But what if that girl had summoned this demon to save her? This was Laura Galinette. Her grandmother was a witch! What if she got this creature as a servant? Or lover?

* * *

Another part of the country, in Marseille, an certain fat old man were looking for a clean shirt to pull. His dirty home was a mess of papers, books and scribbled notes after placing what he needed in a suitcase. After done lot of research, his patience finally paid and there was no time to spill. If this Mr. Rochester is going to marry Laura and steal her fortune, he`s wrong! Just marrying Laura or just take her stocks papers would not be enough. It needed a special key to prove that the stocks really belong to the owner.

A key that Mr. Crottington should had taken from Laura long time ago when he had the chance. But now the opportunity have come to take what it`s rightfully his.

**My thoughts: I love to read books, I read alot and got tons, tons of books on my bookcase: Except the classics Harry Potter, the Bible, Austen and Margit Sandemo, I collect fairytales, greek mythology, horror, romance, chick-lit, fantasy, but most of all Harlequin books. It also very fun to read fanfiction stories. The best thing with fanfiction, is anyone can publish his/her story. There are stories with high quality and there are some that is not. I prefere stories that are well written and has a orginality. That you can fell the author trying to understand how her/his characters are feeling or want others to understand why the maincharacters do this and that. I had a hard time to write this chapter. When you`re used to hear and read about cloning, gen-manipulation, atomic bombs etc. Not to mention Termintator, The Island, Dark Angel and Kyle XY, you take to much for granted. We forget that there still a big part of our planet, that our technology and modern science havent reach yet and many people still live like just we did hundred years ago. Both in lifestile and faith. My story takes place twohundred years before our time. Industrialization had just begin and the scientist is starting experiment with electricity. But this was a century when there were no television, internet and global communication. When a person tells something important, like John is telling Laura what he is, you cant avoid to get frightend or discusted (We are humans). This is a young girl, whose belief is her church and her grandmothers wisedom and magic. Alright, he`s havent killed or committed any crime, But when you got very limited education and experience (not to mention television.) of science; you get chocked and you starting to see the person in another view! You cant accept it immediately, It needs to melt first, then you can either accept, ignore or avoid it. She still love him but Laura is seeing John with new eyes. They are few Frankenstein authors who takes time to write this revelation and the main characters thought and feelings about it. I dont like the stories when the young woman accepts Creatures looks and birth easily. That`s why I give a small applause to "Bad Luck Bree" for her excellent chapter "Through a Glass Darkly" from her story "Half a Face". It tells how Michael (The creature) revels his face to his love Arabelle and the great reaction after it. Very tragic but also very very lovely.**

**I also done a alot of research for the Golem part (wikipedia, google). The golem and Frankenstein story is not very unique as you think. You can check out the story of Pygmalions Galathea, Alrune or Frankensteins cousin Homunculus. It`s very intresting to read! But the inspiration comes from "The World of Truth and Death", by Dangerousdame. Unfortunalty not available on fanfiction anymore.**

**Great thanks to ColeAndPhoebeForever for helping me with my grammar and the spellings again! Thank you! :-)**

**Reviews please!**


	20. Bittersweet Morning

**Hello everyone! I know, I know and I know it`s been a very long time I last updated and I`m very sorry for it! But as usual! My school and my job needs to come first. I will try to update more during this summer! I also started to write another fanfiction story called "Solar Eclipse", based on Clive Barker fantasy serie "Abarat". (Anyone read it?) You can check it in my stories portfolio!**

**Great thanks to ColeAndPhoebeForever/Kim for reading and correcting my grammar and tenses in this chapter. But also for being a wonderful and loyal reader! **

**Enjoy the chapter and dont forget giving it reviews! **

**Kiss and hug eitherangel**

**Creature and the Maiden: Chapter 20.**

The frail morning light shone inside the dark cave, sending in weak streams that promised that the strange night had passed and all things that happened between this odd couple, who were lying on a bunch of dirt leaves and blankets, bodies wrapped together, were gone. The sadness, the horror and the shock they have showed to each other has passed. Maybe, just maybe, it would be a beautiful day.

John woke to the sun on his face and the very strange feeling of something warm and soft lying beside him. He sat up and realized he did not know how Laura had gotten into his bed. Then, he remembered drifting off against Laura only a few hours ago, after his big revelation and explanation about his background to her. Truth is, he was still in shock and awe. Everything had happened so fast that he hadn't had a chance to process it all. To think, this woman not only loved him, but also understood him. She had almost accepted all that he was, mental and physical flaws included. And she had opened her heart to him and told about her dark past and her poor childhood. Thank God that Mr. Crottington was several miles away, or he would rip this evil man into pieces. How could he have taken such advances with this poor child.

John swore with his heart and newfound soul, that he would forever protect Laura from any harm. After this night, he will never leave her again. But he would be naive to think everything would be smooth from here on out. She knows his past, he knew hers and they may have changed their minds on each other now (to the positive), but thinking about the future, John had no idea.

He breathed a deep, contented sigh. "Where should we go now?"

Growing restless, he found that although it was a little piece of heaven to lay with Laura tangled around him, his mind would not let him rest. Unable to stay in bed any longer, he carefully extricated himself from her grip.

Laura's eyes fluttered open to see John staring back at her. His gaze was penetrating right through her and made her feel bare. Her heart skipped a beat and started to race with anticipation. He knew all of her secrets and all of her desires.

"Good morning." She whispered.

"Good morning to you." He smiled back and brushed her rosy cheek with his hand. He sat and watched the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathed in and out. What made her so… perfect? He brushed aside some strands of her red hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. "Are you feeling better now?"

Considering all these strange and chocking events that had happened during the night, Laura felt she'd never been so peaceful and calm right now. She didn't believe she would ever tell her secret to anyone. What happened in her past was hurtful to her and she didn't want to be a victim in other people's eyes. But John saw her as a survivor, and that felt so good. He knew her and she completely knew about him…Oh my god!

For a moment she completely forgot that John was different. She was more confused now than ever. All the times she had spent talking with him, laughed with him, held and kissed him, she would never had believed he was an... A tiny knot of fear twisted its way into her stomach. But just as quickly as the thought appeared, she pushed it aside. How could she think that of a man who just saved her life, opening his heart to her and showed so much kindness and gentleness; more than any human being possessed. But still she couldn't help getting Goosebumps.

"Yes…much better."

The next thing she decided to do was change her outfit. Wearing only her undergarments wasn't the wisest or practical choice when the fresh morning air felt chilly. Searching for what to wear, John handed her a skirt and a worn-out brown pair of pants she could use, even the pants was a little too big around her waist. Although it was odd wearing man's pants, she had to admit they were more comfortable and kept her warmer below. John started to put on his own clothes he had removed during the night.

When they were finished, Laura and John went out into the lovely, slightly cold spring morning.

It was early. The sun was just beginning to rise, causing the blanket of dew that had covered the grass and leaves of their precious wood to shimmer and sparkle. It was beautiful, John inhaled deeply, the slight cold rushing into his lungs and filled him with calm and serenity. If Laura had caught a sense of his emotions and peaceful mind, she made her point on this peaceful walk by grabbing his hand with hers, wrapping her fingers with his and held them gently. If John had the ability to stop time, he would have stopped it now…because despite this peaceful and perhaps his and her happiest moment in their lives…it felt a little bit sad.

"John, what shall we do?"

He breathed a deep, contented sigh. "Stay here forever, never let other people know about us, be invisible and always be together."

Laura thought for a moment, the thing she desired right now, more than ever was this morning walk should be long and it would never end. It was their own temporary bubble no one could interfere or harm them. Back in the cottage when she took care of his wounds, they were sheltered from the world, it was she and him. But the sounds of Tobys wagon broke the magic and then the great reaction and tumults after it.

The bubble will soon burst again. "It's a lovely and wonderful thought, I love it but I think we need to think about the future. I want to be with you, honest!"

"A life! Would you clarify for me on the word 'life'. I have tried to make a real life for myself, and from certain experiences as you know, I can't have one like ordinary people." John sighed, "Why can't we just live like we are doing now! Or better, you move back to the cottage and live together…like a husband and wife.

These final words just popped out from his mouth, and realizing what he had said, his steps froze, his mouth open like an idiot.

Laura stared back at him, her green eyes wide with shock and tried to focus on what he'd just said to her. Did he just say…"Husband and wife!"

"Husband and wife?" She whispered.

"I just…" John stammered. How in heaven's and hell's name did he just come out with this silly fantasy thought? Yes, it wasn't the first time, instead it was several times. John had daydreamed of being a "husband" and her "wife". To wear a golden ring on his finger, to have the priest, guests and God himself as witness to see them being connected forever until their death sets them apart. Getting children…dear God, what kind of children will they produce? Will they have Lauras red hair, green eyes and his grey skin, or his dark hair, blue eyes and smooth white skin like hers? Can he even give her children? He didn't know. The thought gave him shivers. Mere thought of him as a father? A "creator" of his own offspring. He didn't know if it would suit him or not? But the main thought…Marriage! His brain must be from a fool, a great fool!

Laura's cheeks were heated. There must be few women in the world who hasn't thought of the idea of marriage with their sweethearts or a total stranger. It's a commitment for a lifetime in the eyes of God. Your father is handing over his "property" to another man and the girl will become a full grown woman as soon as her husband is deflowering her on their wedding night and she will give him children. But thinking herself a "wife", she couldn't see herself in it. She was too young…No, she's turning eighteen next month and using this excuse in Esther's nagging will have no affects anymore. She loved John, there was no question of that, But she wasn't sure if she was ready, everything was coming too fast.

"Honestly, I never really thought about it…but…it's a start…of something…But you have a life, John!" Laura quickly changed the subject, she was happy to talk about the future, as long as there was no talk about weddings and honeymoons. She needed to think, a lot! "As long as you're living, it's a life, everyday is a new day and a new challenge and experience. But we need to make a plan. A change is coming and I'm a coward in new changes, but we need to face it…John, have you ever thought of meeting your father again?" Laura asked curiously.

Perhaps she was lightheaded, like John this morning, the meaning that came out from her mouth right after was entirely out of the blue. She knew he didn't like him or either talk about "him".

"Sometimes, despite that it was he who abandoned me, I have thought to speak to him, ask him to recognize me and perhaps help me. But it doesn't matter now. Because I got you and it's all I need. But why do you ask about him?

"Because…I think we are not safe here anymore…"

John nodded. "I know that… But I prefer not to think about it right now, not in this moment of peace and silence."

"I'm happy you didn't kill Pierre back then." Laura spoke. "But he and Duncan saw you and I'm afraid that they will spare no time to tell about us to the townspeople. They will haunt us!"

"And how are they going to explain that Pierre tried to rape and ruin you?" John added. "That wouldn't go unnoticed."

"They always think of something, no doubt about that. Pierre is not a fool. So we need to be prepared and perhaps leave this area."

John thought for a moment, the danger lay there very visible. They have burned all the bridges and there was no turning back. They have hurt Pierre's pride and his reputation is now at stake. But this night, he has certainly proved that he's evil, sadistic and a rapist. He would do anything to take and harm her body and soul.

"All right," Laura continued. "No interfering with him and his family. But I have another idea! This seems like a long shot and not a very bright idea, but I have a long distance relative I haven't met for a long time. Her name is Caroline and she's my father cousin and they used to have a great relationship before she got married and moved to Switzerland."

"I think that is a bad idea, Laura." John protested. "How can you think to take a chance to meet them and beg for their protection when they hardly know you and never in their lives met me? How are you going to explain to them why I look this way? War injuries?"

"…Yes, it's a very great risk. I know that! But I remember she was a beautiful, very kind lady. Always friendly and cheerful." Laura said.

"I only met her twice during a summer holiday. I remember she was on her way to pick up a poor orphan girl who had recently lost her family. I think her name was… Elizabeth. Oh I got so jealous!" Laura chuckled. "Elizabeth was my favorite name back then and I really wished my father had given me that name instead of Laura. Sharing the same name as the Queen of England; Elizabeth I."

They both laughed at this silly story, even John had no idea who Queen Elizabeth was and where England lay, but all worries on their shoulders lifted up a little.

John smiled and pressed Laura's hand softly in his. "Thank God he never thought about it, I can't see you with that name."

"I like my name now, it represents me. But after Caroline picked her up, they came back and visited us again. I can tell you I changed my mind directly after I first met her; Elizabeth Lavenza." She said the name with a slow and soft tone, kind of like it was music in her ears.

"Why?" John asked curiously.

"She was perfect…" Laura muttered, her head bent down, half covering her face and started to kick some dead leaves on the road, like a sullen child. "Everything about her was perfect. She had golden hair, blue eyes, perfect lips, and beautiful skin. She was beautiful and you should have seen me back then. I was skinny, with a lot of freckles and very red hair. If you think my color now is red, which it is, you should have seen my hair back then. It screamed 'Carrots'! Our appearances were the complete opposite. She was the swan while I was the sparrow."

In all honesty, John thought Laura was beautiful. He had seen many different sides of her that night and each and every one of them was just as beautiful as the next. She was natural, innocent, tempting and strong. He found it very hard to believe that there could be someone more beautiful than her. But if what Laura said was true, that she looked like a plain sparrow, he would still think she's beautiful and perhaps even more. "Was Elizabeth mean to you?"

"No, no, no" Laura protested. "She was very kind and sweet. We played together during their short visit, but she was calm and a little bit of a coward sometimes. Like when I wanted to climb up into trees or play with my neighbors' bulldogs. Bulldogs look mean but these bulldogs were my sweethearts and good-tempered like Milton here."

Milton has joined their morning walk but he was busy controling his territory and taking a few marks on trees and rocks around, so he didn't listen when Laura spoke his name.

"We were different but I liked her and I liked Caroline. Father told me that when Caroline was young, her father died in a cruel sickness and left her as an orphan and poor. He was ready to help and support her, but she was already in love with Alphonse, her father's great friend and shortly thereafter she married him and bore him a son, I think he`s a few older than me. But I never met their him; he didn't join when Caroline picked up Elizabeth. I think Elizabeth was kind of a surprise gift to him. You think it's hard to believe that after just two meetings with them I know everything about them. It's true, I don't really know them and several years have passed since I last met them. But from their actions and kindness they showed to Elizabeth and from Carolines own experiences to lose someone dear, be left poor and almost alone. I believe their hearts are open, good and understanding. They might help us!"

John admitted that her plan sounded logical and he didn't doubt on Carolines and Elizabeths honesty but it had several holes in it. There was a great risk that this family had moved to another country, were dead or they thought Laura to be dead. If this family was so good and honest, where were they when Laura's father died? Where were they when Laura was tormented by Mr. Crottington and then ran away? Why hadn't they contacted her, not even to send a small letter? Is this a good family?

"But what can they possiblly do for us? How do you know they are still alive or left the country? Where do they live?"

"In Geneva."

Immediately, John looked at her, intrigued. "Geneva!"

If her plan didn't work, there was always their last resort; He didn't want to "introduce" himself and Laura to his father. It would be too absurd and awkward but if there was no choice…But the irony that her relatives and "his" lived in the same country and on the same spot.

It was ridiculous! He wouldn't be surprised that they were neighbors, to! Then something started to freeze in his head and began to flow down his spine. If his face couldn't get any paler, it was turning white and almost blue right now.

"_Alphonse_, _bore a son_,_ Geneva."_

"W-w-what is this family's name?" John stammered and prayed that everything was all in his imagination. It could be a coincidence. A very creepy coincidence!

"I can't remember exactly. Caroline's maiden name was Beaufort. But I think their name was pronounced, something-Stein.

" _Stein…Stein…Frankenstein…"_

Did someone just kick John right in his stomach? Because everything was turning up side down and he started to hyperventilate. The answer was far more painful than he could have ever imagined. "Frankenstein! You belong then to my enemy…to him towards whom I have sworn eternal revenge". He whispered.

"I belong to what, what are you talking…ouch!" She hadn't time to finish before his hand started to clutch hers very hard; it was almost painful. "Stop it, you're hurting me!"

Looking down at her as if he had seen a ghost, he immediately removed his hand from hers and took several steps away from her.

"What's got into you, You didn't need to get upset just because…" But then the truth struck her when she saw his face. "Are you alright?" She asked, looking panicked for his sake. John waved her off.

"Yes, just feeling a little lightheaded...that's it."

"John, I don't think my family and yours…"

"…I…I think we need to create another plan, I'm going back to the cottage and you go back to Esther, it's not far away…I…I need to be alone for a while!"

"But John…it must be…"

John didn't wait to hear what else she had to say, He dashed out of the road without another glance over his shoulder and rushed as fast as he could to the cottage. He sank down to his knees just after he slammed the door behind him, all his energy had drained only for a few seconds.

God help him! Or was this God cruel to him or perhaps had a sick sense of humor? The only human in the whole world who cares and loves him, who told him all her secrets and sadness, has a blood-relationship with Victor Frankenstein! Did she know? Did she know who his creator was before she read the book? Probably not, but the moment he thought they shared the same blood, he vomited right down on the floor…Removed everything until his stomach was empty.

Trying to not think of anything, he crawled slowly to Laura's/his bed and fainted right after he laid his head on the pillow. The only sensible thought before his head went black was, _"It__'__s not her fault!"_


	21. Fire!

**Creature and the maiden ch 21**

"And you're certain you want to do this?" Esther wondered as she handed a cup of chamomile tea to Laura over the table.

"He reacted badly when he heard the name Frankenstein. It might be a mistake or a bad coincidence, but I'm afraid it's not." Laura repeated back and carefully took a small sip from the warm tea.

After this sudden divorce between her and John, Laura went back to the Bovarys' cottage. No words could describe Esther's happiness and horror when she and Toby listened to Laura's tale about Pierre's kidnapping and how John saved her from getting drugged and raped. When Laura told the part where she has been sleeping in John's old cave, Esther gave a small twinkle on her nose. But thinking of John's gentle nature and honesty, she immediately regretted bad thoughts about him.

To protect John from misunderstanding and prejudices, Laura kept her mouth shut about John's real nature. It's not easy to melt! The only thing she did explain was that John's family and hers might be related. And to make this story more truthful, she switched the names and put Alphonse Frankenstein as John's "father" and not Victor.

"This is remarkable!" Toby replied. "Perhaps it was the destiny who guided you together. But John has this great hatred of his father, so perhaps it would be better that you didn't meet his and your family at all!"

"You're probably right, his father abandoned him in the cruelest way, but if we might..."

"Do you love him?"

"What?" Laura gazed up at Esther's sudden comment, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Do you love John?"

First Laura was mute with fascination and shock at the sudden change in Esther's words. Then she took a deep breath and wet her lips nervously. "When I'm around him...When I see him and hear him..." Laura said slowly, bringing her hands up to cover her blushing face and open eyes. That feeling came to her again, a warm, delightful fuzziness. Her stomach was grumbling, though it was not hungry. And she had this strange, wondrous feeling building up inside her.

"I can't shake off this feeling I have when I'm around him. He's different from other humans, but maybe that's why I feel more safe, but at the same time, have all these butterflies in my stomach. He told me that he loves me, he has opened his heart for me...but still I have this kind of knot inside of me..." Laura's red cheeks became brighter. "I can't describe it but it feels like I'm stepping on an unknown territory which is both exciting and scary. Everything feels strangely new and so different. I can't describe it..." She couldn't talk any more; her whole face was red as a tomato.

"Well," Esther sighed. "I was a bit worried about you. I mean...when I see you around John, you always seem happy but sometimes...confused. There's always this weird tension between you two. I guess...I guess the reason I was so overprotective of you lately is because I didn't want John to have any high hopes if your feelings for him are...not the same as his. But..." Esther brought up her old hand and placed it over Laura's small ones..."I guess I was wrong."

Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the front door. "I wonder who it could be this early." Toby wondered.

"I'll go get it," Esther said and got up. She unlocked the door and opened it to see a man with a uniform standing outside. "Can I help you sir?" Esther worriedly wondered.

"I'm seeking Laura Galinette, I heard that she's living here with your family." The policeman said coldly as he, without Ether's permission, roughly stepped inside the cottage and spotted Laura sitting in the corner. After him came two other men, this time from the village.

"That's her!" One of the men shouted.

"Miss Laura Galinette!" The policeman said. "In the name of the law, you're under arrest in accusations of witchcraft and wizardry, and also for protecting a dangerous monster in whose rumors you have spawned."

"What-" Laura began but she would never finish. Suddenly she felt two pairs of hands grabbing her arms, squeezing like pythons and dragging her out. She clawed and scraped, trying to escape, but it was no use.

As soon she was outdoors, she saw that a big mob had gathered near the gate of the farm. Laura noticed some of Esther's neighbors huddled in a half circle, whispering, and pointing at her.

A man with shoulder length blonde hair, streaked in grey loomed across from her. He wore a long leather coat that ended at his ankles, and shiny hunting boots. His face was long and wrinkled, shadowed by cold grey eyes boring into hers. Laura's gaze fell to his right hand which held a large gun. "You know who I am, girl?" The old man asked her coldly.

"Unfortunately too well, Mayor Rochester." She muttered. His look was exact replica of Pierre's, only older and meaner, not to mention his cold uncaring eyes. Around him were his family's hired hands, all armed to the teeth with guns and rifles. The villagers carried burning torches and rifles as well.

"As if you don't remember, you and my son, Pierre were dancing together last night at Mr. Laderoute's barn; hundreds of eyes saw you dance together and leave together in the middle of the party. Later you both got attacked by a hideous monster when you were traveling in a wagon. Coachman said this monster attacked Pierre and Duncan but not you. Instead he took you away and now you're here! Would you be so kind as to tell me what really happened?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Laura lied.

"Liar! We know what kind of woman you are." One of the women snarled. "Pierre wasn't good enough for you, so you used magic to kill him."

"Where's the monster, you witch! Where are you hiding him?" One of the women screamed at her.

"I DON'T KNOW!"

"What's going on?" Esther yelled as she grabs Laura's shoulders and hugged her tightly, trying to protect her from the angry mob that was gathered around them.

"Stop pretending you don't know, Esther!" Mayor Rochester snarled. "You always knew Isabella was a witch, as is her granddaughter."

"Evil can take the form of many things," said Esther spitted. was But you all known Laura to long that she would never harm anyone, for god sake! And Isabella was a fine woman when she lived. Don't let your emotions blind your senses."

Glaring down into her old grey eyes, Mr. Rochester grabbed a hold of Esther's face and forcefully turns it to look up at him.

"Do not speak of things you know nothing about!" He whispered coldly as he viciously punched Esther in the face. The strength from his hand made her remove her hands from Laura and fall backward to the ground.

"Esther!" She cried and tried to race toward her but one of Rochester's men held her in a vice-like grip. Laura struggled and screamed, kicking and punching at him, but her efforts were in vain.

They both heard a clicking sound, and they turned to see Esther's husband pointing a hunting rifle at the man's face. "You will not touch her!" roared Toby, who stood just one foot from Rochester and Laura.

"Put that thing down, damn you!" shouted Rochester. "You have no right to disobey my orders!" His words were loud, and boomed throughout the air. But his face was calm, his expression carefully calculated. "If you do one stupid thing, your family is going to pay for your shit!"

"Stop it!" Laura shouted at the two men. She had tears in her eyes and they were slowly flowing down her cheeks. "Toby, put your gun down! If you want to know the real story instead of Pierre's rotten lies, I will go willingly to the court and weave my tale. But I will tell you this that who you're hunting is an unfortunate and lonely man!" None of them knew that he was living in her cottage and perhaps were there right now. She needed to mislead them for his own protection.

Yanking her arm into his muscled embrace, Mr Rochester reached out and grabbed at Laura's pale face, forcing her to look at him again. "You know nothing!" he whispered, and then he gave her a hard slap, leaving an angry red mark on her cheek.

"Leave her alone!" Esther shouted as she stared at her foster-daughter. "...please!" She tried to reach Laura again but got dragged forcefully away by a policeman. Several of Rochester's men were standing in front of Toby, guns pointing directly at his face, avoiding him to make anything stupid. Their poor Bovary children were standing in the doorway; none of them moved an inch from their spots as their tearful eyes looked at the horrible scene that had taken place in their dear home.

Mayor Rochester continued to hold Laura's arm as he led her out from the Bovarys' front yard. But instead of turning directly back to the town, he moved his feet, and hers, in the direction of the deep forest, together with his men and the rest of the village.

"Where are you taking me?" Laura asked nervously as they walked on an all too familiar road.

Rochester stopped and turned to her. "We already know where he is, you witch! One of the elders knows where your grandmother's cottage lies; so with or without your help, we are going to hunt your monster down."

"NO! You can't do that!" Laura screamed angrily at him. "Pierre got what he deserved. We have laws that forbid this kind of injustice!"

"And there are laws about witchcraft my dear! I closed my eyes on Pierre's mischiefs and for his outrageous obsessions with you, but I've had enough! My son's body and reputation are at stake and I WILL HAVE MY JUSTICE!"

SUDDENLY, a smell of burnt woods and straws came directly towards them, together with sounds of screams and cheering. In the distance, over the trees, dark smoke was reaching up into the blue sky like a black snake. "Looks like my men got him."

Fear and anxiety began to barrage Laura's body as the screams become louder and closer. Clasping her hands in tight fists against her chest, she tried desperately to silence her fervently beating heart.

"_No, no, no, no, no, no!"_

_

* * *

_

John tossed in his sleep; sweat spilled off his body. Why was he so hot? His arms thrashed in the air, trying to throw off covers that weren't there. John's eyes opened immediately, tremendous heat and the promise of nearby flames greeted him as he sat up in bed. He gasped and started to choke as he inadvertently inhaled the poisonous fumes of smoke. _"Fire? I never lit any fire?"_ There was no time to figure it out now, terror struck his heart and squeezed it with all its strength.

The cottage was burning!

John jumped quickly out of bed, approached main door and cautiously touched the handle; he drew his hand away quickly as his fingers got burned by its contact. The fire was right outside the door!

All he could hear was the crackling of the fire, but there was something more. He stopped and listened. Tears streamed down his face as the smoke irritated his eyes when he glanced through the window, there was a mob outside! A big angry mob with fire-sticks and guns! "How did this happen?"

* * *

Outside, the smirks on Rochesters men and the cheers and applauds from the villagers as they watched the entire cottage quickly become engulfed in flames. "Stefan!" One of Rochester's men shouted to his comrades as they looked at small cottage they just set inflame. "I want you and James to surrender the cabin, making sure all windows and possible exits are secured. If he comes out, all three of us do what it takes to disarm him and prevent him from moving. But remember..." He warned, "Mayor Rochester wants him alive."

"JOHN!" Laura screamed, furiously trying to push the bastards' hands away and run back to her once dear home. Rochester tightened her grip around Laura's waist and fought to keep the girl running away from him. "Let go of me!" She hissed as Rochester firmly gripped her arm and led slowly her over to her burning home, or the inferno that engulfed it.

"Not a chance!"

* * *

Leaning on a wall, John stopped a moment to catch his breath and take in this sudden nightmare. He always knew that someday, one of the villagers would get a glimpse of him in the forest and perhaps tell the villagers about him.

Not to mention Pierre!

Letting him escape or not to force him to keep his mouth shut was a big, big, big mistake of his! Did he expect that a man like Pierre, would forget about this? Absolutely not!

But where was Laura?

Before he could figure that out, a stone came crashing through the window and after that, someone tossed in a burning torch. It landed on Laura's table, and the table-cloth immediately caught fire. In a moment of fast thinking, he grabbed the torch and tossed it back outside.

How many people were out there? How many are prepared to burn him alive? If he goes out there, they would probably stab or shoot him to death! His eyes searched the room and landed on the old coal poker near the stove, an idea formulated in his head. John grabbed it and moved back to the bed. He knew there was a small crack in the wall under the bed, so after he moved the old bed away, he raised the poker and started hacking into the wall. Bits of dust and wood jumped up into John's face, but he ignored it and focused on his task. If he was lucky, no one was standing on the other side of the cottage so he may escape and run into the forest.

He pierced the wall again and again until he had carved out a small opening he could fit through. He stepped back and one second later, John hauled his body forward and crawled through the small opening with all his strength, taking cuts and bruises from the spiky edge of roughly cut timbers as he his body crawled through the opening.

Finally he was outside and he slumped down to the earth, in pain and exhaustion. In the opposite direction he heard the mob screaming and applauding over Laura's burning home. His home!

Wasting no time to rest, John raised his tired body and began walking fast away from their burning home.

It was then that fate decided to screw him over once more. His foot got caught on a root jutting out of the ground. John fell to the ground and yelped in pain. He quickly tried to get back up but he couldn't put his weight on his foot and he fell down again. Then with a growl, John started to crawl away as quickly as possible. "I need to go... I need to get away!" He chanted this mantra to himself.

John almost made it to the river when one of the mob finally saw him from the great light of the fire. "There's the demon!"

John cursed and tried moving as fast as he could with his injured foot. But one of the villagers caught him just as he was about to slid over the edge of the river. A long rope grabbed his throat and squeezed like a snake. He clawed and scraped trying to escape, but it was no use. A loud cheer rang out as Rochester's men closed in and started hitting him with the edges of their guns and sticks.

His voice began to go hoarse by his screaming as he fought against them and his eyes darted around, looking for a way escape. There was none such ways as he gazed fearfully around.

It seemed like the whole damn city had surrounded him. His blue eyes dodged madly back and forth as the faces of the mob stare at him in disgust and horror.

"Never in my life have I seen such a ugliness!"

"He's monstrous!"

"Let's throw him back into the cottage and burn him alive!" The crowd was now riled up, transformed into a dangerous mad mob, thirsting for blood and horror.

Unable to move, Laura remains frozen at the sight before her. Several men were struggling on the top of John's mighty body.

Suddenly, a man came up behind him and wrapped a chain around his neck. When John turned his head on him another came with his chain and then another one. Locking his hands and feet's together.

A loud cheer rang out as the villagers looked at this captured beast. Laura screamed and covered her mouth as more and more chains bound her friend. She tried to race toward him but Mayor Rochester held her in a vice grip.

She struggled and screamed, kicking and punching at her enemy but her efforts were in vain. Her friend, her poor friend! His black hair and part of clothes almost burnt and destroyed were chained like an animal. The watching crowd applauded and cheered at this dreadful sight.

John raised his head up, not far away from him stood Laura, pinned by the arms of a sleazy looking man with grey shoulder length hair and a white mustache. His own eyes bulged at the sight of that man's dingy hands pressed against her body and at her big swelling bruise on her left cheek.

He growled and Laura could tell that he wanted to tear Rochester limb from lim. This rage brought him a new strength and started to realize himself from his chains around his neck and hands. But the sound of a pistol being loaded stopped him cold.

"Not so fast you ugly wretch!" One of the men said not far away, keeping his revolver pointing at John's temple.

"Don't you dare touch her!" John screamed. "I'll kill you, you bastard! Do you hear me?"

With a snap of Rochester's fingers, one of his men came forward and Rochester tossed Laura away into another hard embrace. Then he began walking slowly towards John with a cold, hateful look.

John stared up at him, his eyes narrowed and filled with rage. This man's features were too familiar with a face he has seen before. A face he hated too much and now he saw it again, only this time with more hatred and coldness.

Rochester turned to Laura and pointed at her injured friend. "Is that the thing that you have sold your soul for and bewitched my son?"

"He's not a thing!" Laura gritted her teeth and shot him a venomous glare. "He`s a man like everyone else!"

"Are you blind?" Rochester shouted and kicked John right in the face with his boot, causing John to see stars and blood... "He's a demon! There is no man with his proportions or ugliness!" The other villagers agreed with him, they were all nodding and muttering words Laura couldn't hear, and didn't want to hear. "And this thing has hurt my boy!"

"It's his fault!" Laura screamed angrily. "We haven't done anything wrong."

"My son is innocent and this is the proof of your witchcraft!" Rochester pointed to John. "I'll make sure he never breathes again!"

"NO! NO!" Laura screamed as she watched this devil-man load his gun. "Let him go! I can't let you shoot him..."

Rochester ordered one of his men to shift John over into a sitting position, and they did. John laid there looking up at Senior Rochester, his breathing rapid and out of rhythm; probably from the strike of Rochesters hard boot on his face. Blood were trickling from his mouth and his left eye was turning purple.

Rochester pointed the gun at John's chest, smiling. "Any last words...""

"He should have never hurt her!" John slowly whispered, spitting out blood from his mouth.

The man stared at him a little before asking, "What did you say?"

"You and your son are the true devils!" John spat and stared into Rochester's hate-filled eyes. "You seek to hurt the innocent, stealing what's not yours! I have seen too much of what people do to each other and how much Pierre has haunted Laura. Not to mention other malicious beings that has harmed her body and soul! Kill me, torture me, do what the hell you want with me but LEAVE HER ALONE!"

For A moment, the whole village was silent. They had looked forward to killing a "monster", but after hearing this "monster's" speech and pleading over Laura's sake, they felt insecure of this new view of him.

Mayor Rochester "considered" Johns words carefully.

"Guess not...well, the sooner you're both in hell, the better..." Said Rochester as he pulled the trigger down.

In a split-second Laura opened her mouth wide, and sunk her teeth into the hit-man's palm. The dirt on his hand tasted bitter, but she latched on as tight as she could. He let her go, holding his hands and swearing in pain. Before she could think twice she doves in between Rochester's gun and John's body.

The bullet that would have otherwise hit John hit Laura instead right in her chest. She yelled out in pain as she fell down in front of John's horrified eyes like a poor rag doll.

At first, he couldn't believe what he saw.

She lay so still, so still on the wet grass, with her chest down and her red hair covering half of her face. A small pool of blood was starting to pour under her body, almost the same color as her hair.

Then he made out a shrieking howl!

**Sorry, sorry, sorry for this long absence! As always, the school, homework and a new story takes my time. But there is another reason...lack of inspiration! I`m missing it! :( **

**Help me!**

**But I promise you! I already working on chapter 22 so you dont need to wait another three months! **

**Great thanks to ColeAndPhoebeForever for helping me with my grammar and the spellings again! Thank you! :-)**


	22. It Hurts!

**Sorry for being late, I have school, my other fan-story and writers block. Dammit! How could I leave Laura and John in that situation for five whole months! I`m sooo evil and t****his chapter will not getting any better either!**

**But thank you all for your wonderful and inspriring reviews and for being very very patient. :)**

**And thank you Jennifer B for helping me with the grammar and the spellings!**

**Enjoy!**

**Creature and the Maiden Ch. 22**

Dr. Robert Saussure was walking as fast as he could together with a nurse behind the messenger that had just come to his house with an emergency call from Rochester Mansion. He was deeply puzzled and a bit irritated about the trouble that Rochester has brought to his job. First was the bastard Pierre's wounds and he had broken his arm again, which was a pain the ass to fix when Pierre was there screaming and swearing like a maniac. Duncan was a bit easier to handle, but he was crying like a baby. What is it this time? Is the medicine not good enough for his precious son or did Pierre hurt his arm again? To be honest, he wished both Senior and Junior Rochester to hell!

But he had a code to follow so Dr. Saussure reluctantly followed the messenger inside the mansion. "It had better be important! I'm an very busy man!" he muttered.

The first thing he noticed made his heart skip a beat. Two of Rochester's men were standing in the middle of the hallway, holding between them a stretcher made of wood and torn blankets. There was small body laying still on it. Red hair was fanned out beneath the victim's head and a big red wound appeared on their chest. Rochester was standing beside his victim, his arms crossed and he glared irritated at Dr. Saussure who just stood frozen on the spot. There was no doubt whose hair it was…

In what seemed like an eternity, but was really seconds, Dr. Saussure was at Laura's side. He spoke desperately, "Laura, Laura can you hear me?" But Laura's eyes remained closed. Dr. Saussure fell to his knees next to her, his hands moving to her neck, feeling for a pulse. He spoke, "Her pulse is weak and irregular; we need to get her to my home immediately!"

"No! She stays here in my house. I want her as near to me as possible!" Rochester stared irritatedly down at him.

"But my equipments is in my…."

"She stays here!"

"She has lost a lot of blood. If we don't…" Dr Saussure stammered.

"SHE STAYS HERE!" Rochester screamed back.

With no power of his own, Dr. Saussure nodded and with help from the men who held Laura's stretcher, they quickly moved her, followed by Rochester, into one of the large guest rooms. They lifted her from the stretcher onto a bed made of fine silks and cotton.

The nurse ran to get some towels, bandages, and hot water while Rochester stepped back and watched as Dr. Saussure removed Laura's blood soaked blouse to reveal the gun hole on her left side of her chest, almost near her shoulder. Luckily the bullet went straight through, as proven by the hole in the back of her shoulder, so there was not need to operate to remove it.

Both Doctor and Rochester shot a fearful look at each other as Dr. Saussure applied pressure to her open wound. He had known this girl for years. She had sold some of her herbs and her grandmothers old receipts to him. He had known her for what seemed like forever and now she was laying there...dying! He quickly tried to staunch the flow of blood and was horrified as he calculated the amount that had already seeped from her wound. "Who shot her?"

"Me," Rochester said coldly.

Not being able to believe what he just heard, Dr. Saussure stopped his movements and turned his head abruptly towards Mayor Rochester, "What?"

"She moved in front of that creature and took the bullet. It's her fault, not mine!"

"Great god! I have heard about the great tumult in the forest…is that true that you have burned down her grandmother's cottage?" Dr. Saussure asked shakily.

"Yes!"

"And she's being accused of witchcraft?"

"That's correct."

"And now you want to save her?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Dr. Sassure quested.

"That's none of your business Doctor, just fix her!"

Disgusted with the Mayor's ignorance and nonchalance towards Laura (for Christ sake, didn't he have any guilt or the slightest regret at all?), Dr. Saussure had no choice but to obey his order and try to save Laura's life.

* * *

Voices, muffled voices. Those were the first things Laura became aware of. Her head was swimming in a sea of dizziness, her body stiff and her chest burning. Laura's first thought was, 'What happened to me?'

For the time being the answer escaped her muddled head. Instead she focused on opening her eyes. With some effort she could open them. Images were blurry and blobs moved in slow motion before her.

"Laura? Laura?" asked a muted voice. In front of Laura a blob moved into focus. Blinking a few more times, the image started to clear and normal volume returned. It was Dr. Saussure.

"My dear girl! Thank god you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Agony, pure agony! That was all Laura could feel. Her whole chest was burning in a stinging pain and her frantic thoughts were "Make it stop, oh please make it stop!" Out from her mouth came high pitched cries.

"Stop screaming and struggling woman, you'll only make it worse," commanded a familiar voice. She wondered who the voice belonged to, but she couldn't place it at the moment.

"It hurts…." Laura struggled to say "so much…"

"Shh, calm yourself. Focus on breathing, not the pain. Relax your body," Dr. Saussure huffed.

"I…I don't want to die…" heaved Laura. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. "It hurts...It hurts!"

As her vision blurred, she saw Saussure's lips move but no sound came out. "What's he saying? I...I can't hear him…" Then her mind fell into darkness again.

* * *

"Let me go, where is my daughter? Tell me where my daughter is, you son of a bitch!" Esther screamed at the top of her lungs at the guard who was standing in front of the gateway of Rochester's house.

"I'm sorry Madame, Mayor Rochester has forbidden any sort of visitors at this moment. Come back another day."

She shook her head, crying, gasping, then hid her face in her hands. She made a motion to sneak in, but the guard moved his body to block as she advanced.

"She's inside this mansion and she's hurt! That's bastard has taken her by force!" Esther screamed desperately.

"I assure you that Mayor Rochester and Dr. Saussure will inform you when Miss Galinette is out of danger, Madame! Standing here shouting your lungs out won't help, I'm sorry!"

She clasped her hands together as she trembled "How long could it take for one surgery?" Instead of moving Laura to the hospital, Rochester had forced his guards to take her precious daughter in to his mansion, without letting her or Toby come along and help her. With each passing moment, her anxiety grew. Suddenly, hands were holding her shaking shoulders.

"Your body is cold," Toby murmured. "Please don't be anxious Esther; the doctor will surely be finished any minute now."

"I surely hope he has courage enough to tell Rochester that treating Laura in this 'Ghost House' is madness and make him understand that she needs proper medical care in a hospital, not here! YOU SAW ALL THE BLOOD, ALL HER BLOOD!" she screamed as Toby hugged his dear wife and stroked her back with his big hands tenderly.

"There is nothing we can do right now, Esther! We need to go back home and look after our children. I think they are very worried right now," Toby said in a calm, sensitive tone.

"You go. I'm going to stay here!" Esther whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself. Toby saw the gesture and instantly took off his coat and handed it to her. With a grateful look, she put it on, wrapping it around her so it covered her like a blanket.

"I will come back later," he said as he walked back home and left Esther all alone at the gate.

* * *

Inside the mansion, Pierre walked down to the big double doors at the end of the main hall. He knocked twice and immediately heard a voice telling him to come in.

His father was sitting in an armchair, not surprised to see Pierre. Still in his undergarments and his arm wrapped in a bandage, Pierre Rochester gave his father a small smirk. "How is she?" he asked the senior.

Mayor Rochester leaned back against his chair, "We don't know yet. The bullet has went through and broke an artery, so she has lost a lot of blood."

"Admit it!" Pierre ordered. "Even when covered with her own blood, she looks astounding!"

"I sincerely hope that the fortune that she's rumored to have exists, or else I'll throw her down to the dungeons and let that creature have her!" his father muttered as he selected a pen and began to write a letter.

"Calm down father, I have spoken to her 'guardian,' she has a fortune so you'll get a daughter-in-law with both looks and money, just as you wished."

"And who says that you are going to marry her?"

For a moment Pierre's face froze, "W-w-what a minute! You can't mean…."

"I hope you won't mind having her as your step-mother instead?"

"You're kidding me! You're too old!"

Rochester glared at his son, "I'm serious! Except for the whores, I haven't had a proper woman in my bed for a long time. She's bit of a wildcat, but she will do. I can tame her!"

Pierre muscles tightened. Sweat formed over his forehead and his knuckles turned white as rage flared in his eyes. "She's mine! I saw her first!" Moving forward, Pierre nearly lunged at him, but Rochester quickly took out his hunting knife and pressed it on his son's throat.

"Don't even think about it," Rochester laughed coldly, seeing that his son was scared of his blade. "You're weak. You always have been. Two times you got beaten by that creature, two times you broke your arm and two times she escaped from your gasp. I hardly believe you are my son at all with all these imperfections of yours! You don't deserve her!"

For a moment, Pierre stood paralyzed, unable to believe his father's words. Rochester let Pierre's shirt go and the son stumbled backwards, moving away from his father's knife with it's blade still pointed at him. "You don't know everything about her father! I know some things you never…"

"I think I have all information I need the moment. Especially about Laura's 'guardian'." Mayor Rochester interrupted. "If you hadn't been so stupid and spontaneous, you wouldn't have given your card to his servant with your address when you first met him." Rochester picked up one of the letters from his desk, thrusting and thrust it in front Pierre's face. "In my hands I have a letter from her 'Guardian'. If you had paid more attention to others' business, private affairs and their own skeletons in the wardrobe, you might have spared yourself and me a lot of hard work to get this parasite out of our business with 'Miss Dubios' affairs."

Reading the letter with disbelief, Pierre snorted at Mr. Crottington's awful handwriting.

"And if I disobey you? That I refuse to let Laura become my 'stepmother'? "

"You know I don't like disobedience! I do whatever I like and if you don't forget this girl, I might throw you out from this house, not to mention disown you! She can probably produce another heir for me. An heir that has more skills and brain, perhaps be more useful than you have ever been." For a moment, Pierre could only stare. His father stared back without emotion.

Without another word, Pierre abruptly turned on his heel and strode out of the room. The door slammed so hard that the glass in the huge mirror rattled, but Mayor Rochester, still in his chair kept the same cold dead eyes at the closed door.

His only thought was"I certainly hope he has at least some idea as to what to do with the monster and not let this fail too!"

Pierre stomped to Laura's temporary room and found the nurse sitting at her bedside squeezing her hand. Her head darted at his entrance. "She is still unconscious Sir but…"

"Leave," he hissed.

"Sir I'm not supposed to leave…"

"Now!"

The nurse squeaked and scurried from the room. Pierre shut the door behind her.

He grit his teeth and stomped across the room to loom over her with poison in his eyes. Her skin was pale with dark circles under her closed eyes. He glared down at her with fire and jealousy. "This is your fault," he snarled. "If you hadn't been so stupid and tempting you would have been mine and not HIS!"

Uncertain if he meant to his father or the monster or perhaps both, Pierre turned his eyes to the nightstand beside the bed. There was a bowl of water and bandages in it, but also a pair of sharp scissors with which Dr. Saussure cut Lauras blood-soaked clothes from her. A thought dawned on him and seconds later a slow and nasty smile crept across his face. He picked up the scissors from the nightstand with his uninjured hand and bent down to Laura's face.

* * *

Several days later…

He was placed in a cell hardly bigger than a closet. There were chains around his ankles that fettered him to the floor. No light could penetrate the dungeon; night and day were the same. A bucket of water and old, hard bread was tossed inside the cell to him from a small opening in the door every two days. By stretching out hard with his arm, John could reach and bring the old water and bread to his hungry lips. But his face became gaunt with lack of food and his skin turned grayer with an unhealthy yellow tone, as his eyes became dull and empty.

John cried those first few hours. He was terrified of dying, but more terrified of what had happened to Laura. There had been blood everywhere! All he could remember from that awful night was blood and Laura's pale, tortured face and how they forcefully took her away from his arms. His coat was covered in dry blood and every time he saw it, pain shot through his heart like the bullet did to his Laura.

His head hung low as he laid in his cell. He had given up trying to break his chains long ago. Even his great strength was useless against them. The absence of light and sound made the underground cell so unbearable that after a few days, John lost track of time, and also a small part of his sanity.

The clicking of boots resounded down the hallway and made him come back to the hurtful reality. The jailer opened his cell and, putting one boot in front of the other, Pierre stepped in. He kept his eyes on the chained man as the jailer closed the door behind him. Motionless and stiff, John remained quiet as Pierre paced in front of him. He soon halted in front of John, facing him. Pierre made sure to keep his good uninjured hand behind his back as he stared down at John. For a moment neither he nor his prisoner spoke. At last John broke the silence, with his voice trembling, "What have you done to her?" Pierre did not reply. "Is she still alive?"'

"Don't even try. You sound so pathetic!" snapped Pierre. "I don't understand why she wanted to protect you or even let her eyes gaze upon you! You are hideous."

"Her eyes are more open than any other creature on this planet," John responded as he stood up from the floor, wobbling a bit before gaining his balance. The chains stretched hard between his wrists and the hard floor but still he could stand up straight, looking down at Pierre's form.

After his eyes adjusted by the gloomy light from the corridor, Pierre observed his strange caged animal closely. "Well I can say if her eyes were open then perhaps she saw you as some kind of guard dog. I can't see any other options."

John felt his heart starting to break. "Just answer me! Is she alive?" he shouted, but his tormenter just chuckled and ignored his questions.

"What are you? What poor woman gave birth to you with these deformities only to commit suicide when she first gazed upon you? Or are you perhaps a creature from the underworld? Hell perhaps?"

John continued to stare at him with undisguised fury and tears trailing over his cheeks, "That is something I would never tell you or anyone else. Who I am and what I am is my own business!"

Pierre flinched ever so slightly and looked into the bluish-yellow eyes that he had found so unnervingly…human. "Well... Now you are here!" he smirked. "Maybe you could be of some use to me?"

"What can I possibly do for you? Where is Laura? If you have hurt one hair on her head I…"

Taking his hand from behind his back, Pierre moved it theatrically over his head. The darkness made it hard for John to see what Pierre was holding. Something long, loose and thick. Was it a snake or a rope? But when Pierre started to comb his fingers through the strands, small red locks fluttered down to the dirty ground and were crushed with his boot, John realized what Pierre had done.

He stared emptily at Laura's hair. Lifeless and totally destroyed by Pierre's feet.

"There is nothing more left than this, I can assure you!" Pierre laughed, looking at the defeated creature who had just dropped to his knees on the floor, bruised and injured from the countless wounds on his body the townspeople had given him. The tears would not stop. They poured down his cheeks, dropping off his chin, and landing in his lap. In vain, he struggled to reach his hand to grasp Laura's once precious hair but failed when the chains weren't long enough to reach.

Pierre couldn't help but to laugh more at the pathetic scene taking place in front of his eyes. That enormous creature, crying like a baby and attempting to reach that useless bunch of hair on the floor with his ugly hands, letting the sharp handcuffs dig in more into his already bleeding wrists. "What's the big deal anyway, she was nothing!" Pierre tilted his head, enjoying John's pain. "She couldn't the see potential to be with a man like me! With me, she could have had anything she desired. It's your fault that she took the shot and let herself bleed to death. Do you have any idea how much she suffered? The bullet inside her destroyed body, how it drained all her energy, the blood and flesh spilling out from her body like a dying pig in a slaughterhouse. You could have spared her life if you had let yourself take the bullet and all the accusations of witchcraft and dark magic to your death! You could have saved her soul and body! It's your fault that she's DEAD!"

John moved his head up slowly to gaze into Pierre's eyes. What had been a pair of warm and gentle eyes were now only two empty pools of fury and despair. "You're trying make me believe that she's dead? That she doesn't exist anymore on this earth?" John grit his teeth and conjured up all his strength to lunge at the man, but his chains caught only inches from Pierre's face. John clenched his fists, his wrists bleeding from the force of the chains. "Is there nothing sacred in this world that remains untouched by humanity and evil? Is this how you repay a good heart and soul; with hatred, corruption and murder?" he roared at the top of his lungs.

Not knowing what he was doing, Pierre took a step forward and bowed his head to stare venomously at John. "And you are saying that you are more human than anyone else, you..." In seconds, before he knew what had happened, the back of John's hand met with Pierre's left cheek. The slap had been so clean and brutal, that the force made his body fly backwards, crashing hard to the floor.

"You are lucky I am restrained!" John growled.

"Y - you f-freak…" Pierre choked as he felt is cheek burning and loose teeth inside his bleeding mouth.

Still tears in his eyes, Johns face twisted in a cruel smile. He could sense that Pierre has lost his "bravery" and arrogance and had turned back into the small cowardly idiot he truly was. This made him ecstatic. "Get out! Get the hell out of here before I finally break these chains and kill you and eat your damn insides!" he roared. "Don't you ever come back here again!"

The young man stumbled to his feet, off-balance by the motion that had brought him there and fled from the cell like a scared little 's ears followed the sound of Pierre's retreating footsteps until he couldn't hear them any more. Then he couldn't take it much longer and let himself drop heavily to the floor with a sigh. Never before had this animalistic rage dominated his mind before. Of course he felt anger and hate but never to the point of having it take over his soul. He wanted to feel the taste of a person crying of fear and pain, feel the thrill and enjoyment to hurt someone so badly. Let the person suffer like he's suffering.

That wasn't him...Or was it?

John sobbed bitterly while staring down at the necklace Laura had given him. He held it close, even as his hands trembled. He checked through the valleys of his memory, searching for anything, anything to make him forget the pain he was in. Pulling the past from its permanent hiding place in to his abused mind, he searched for something significant, something to make him able to feel the damn blood running through his veins and the beating of his heart weakly against his chest.

And he found one. Smiling he leaned back on the wall and let the day-dream begin.

If someone had walked past the door that moment, he or she would be hearing small sobs on the other side, sobs that came from a man who didn't know if the last part of his sanity and humanity had left him and the true purpose and love of his life was gone forever?

**Reviews please!**


	23. Living Hell

**You thought I have abandonen the story beacuse of the lack of updating, well you got it totally wrong! I will never leave this story uncomplete, I will finish it! **

**Looking back at my earlier chapters, I see my writing and grammar skills have growned alot and so the characters personality. **

**But I have a question to you readers: Is Laura an a MarySue girl or not? **

**Great thanks to ColeAndPhoebeForever/Kim for reading and correcting my grammar and tenses in this chapter. But also for being a wonderful and loyal reader! **

**Dont forget to review! I want honest and valuable critiques! I want to learn and improve more!**

**Creature and the maiden chapter 23.**

It was a dark and stormy night, and a very cliché one at that. Two voices, brisk and hushed could be heard from a window on the second floor of the house of the DuBarrys. The room the window belonged to was a huge and luxurious bedroom. The walls were white with dark red roses and the canopy bed had the same design as the bed sheets and the curtains. It was beautiful, but a little too voluptuous to be elegant, perhaps more near the edge of coarseness if you looked at the huge toilette, stuffed with perfumes, makeup and beauty creams.

Two small wooden chairs sat in the corner in the room with an equally small table in front of them. The only light came from a simple candle that was placed on the table, illuminating the couple that sat on each side, facing each other. Both equally beautiful with blond hair, blue eyes, and charming smiles but also bad soul.

The blonde man reached up inside his jacket and took something out from a pocket, gently placing the object in front of the young blonde woman. It was a blue velvet box. The woman took it up, curiously opened it and inside lay a long beautiful necklace, with pearls and sapphires. A expensive and priceless jewel, worthy for a noble woman like her.

Linda DuBarry could barely take her eyes off it but she managed to not betray her greedy eyes and gently placed the box on the table, "Oh no, no, no!" You can do better than that Pierre!" Linda teased as she briefly watched her guest slowly muttering to himself when she refused his offer. Too soothe him; she poured Pierres Rochester another glass of wine and one to herself. Pierre glared back at the young woman with her long wavy blond hair and Ocean-blue eyes. She wore a simple lavender colored dress and a dark blue silk robe with embroidered red and white flowers. The dress was intentionally very low-cut; she leaned forward a little bit, revealing the humps of her breasts under it to ease his mood a little more. It worked!

"And I will give more when...if this plan works!" Pierre said as he tried to favor Linda with one of his famous seductive smiles.

Linda only briefly glanced while she negligently touched the velvet box with her fingers. "I really hope so, but it's not only the jewels I want."

Pierre reached out, placing his hand upon hers. Slyness, hope and excitement glimmered from her blue eyes as Pierre's dark blue stared back into her own.

"Perhaps...I might have been bewitched and didn't see how beautiful and good you are, not to mention your virtues and dignity. You're a perfect role-model for all young ladies and to miss this perfect "Madonna"," Pierre gave an air-kiss with his fingers and turned look into puppy eyes, "It couldn't be nothing other than dark forces who have turned me blind from your "goodness".

"Of course!" Linda said as she fingered teasingly over Pierre's palm. "Everyone knows that before Laura "bewitched" you, you courted me and there were plans of commitment to each other." She gave a small innocent smile as she forced her eyes to become wet and sad. "Our families had looked forward to it but you let yourself get caught by this "evil woman" and didn't have your senses intact for her spells and wicked eyes. And now when she finally gets a foot into your house, she turns your fathers head towards her instead and leaves you heart-broken. Poor, poor Pierre! How you must be suffering."

Having difficulty retaining from clobbering Lindas chin, Pierre kept his tongue and his clutching fingers hard enough under the table, through her sneaky suggestions. Linda was too important to make his plan work, he needed her to testify and the support of her reputation or else no one would ever believe in him. She manipulates people's feelings and emotions to her benefits, which is what makes her almost an equal to him and a perfect pawn.

"Yes, her eyes lured me into her trap but when we finally captured her wretch, I finally saw what she really is."

"But what happened to the monster? Is he dead yet?"

"Not really, that thing is an important evidence of her witchcraft...I don't know what she did with it but I think she used it as her guard-dog."

"I think it was more than that!" Linda snorted as she moved her head near Pierre's and softly whispered, "I heard when a Witch is about to sell her soul to the devil, she kisses the devil's own hairy butt and makes love to all his demons to prove her loyalty and lust." She whispered theatrically.

"And where did you hear that story?" Pierre laughed as Linda hushed him down, her face turned sour at his teasing. "You should definitely mention that, the crowd would be thrilled!"

"Pierre!" Linda said shockingly.

"It's true!" Pierre smiled as he placed his hand over Lindas. "I trust you on this. When this is over I...promise you my "help" to restore our families' reputation."

"It's a big task" Linda waved her eyelashes at him. "I surely need some inspiration to make my testimony more truthful."

Pierre smiled, he almost have her now! "Meet me tomorrow and I will give you a little help for your inspiration. I'd like to introduce something new and special for you and the citizens, something you will never forget."

Linda knew from the minute Pierre leapt out from her bedroom (through the window.) where they have been discussing his plan, that she was taking a big risk to make this really work. It needed a lot of skills and hard work but she was a professional in these matters and she didn't say no for this beautiful revenge against her rival.

But she wondered what kind of help he meant to inspire from her?

The next morning...

"I feel a bit nervous, where are you taking me?" Linda giggled as she rolled her pink umbrella over her head and her arm tucked right under Pierres. She was dressed in the latest fashion, her umbrella and dress matched perfectly in style and color. To be honest; like a strawberry-cake, to much and to sweet.

Both were walking down the street and Pierre hasn't said a word about where they were going. Pierre gave a small sneer with his lips. "You`little see." After a while they were heading towards a gray stone building and then moved to the other side of it.

Before she knew it, they were standing in a backyard between the grey stone building and strangely enough, the backdoor to the towns Prison cells! A lot of people were already standing on the backyard and a tall man stood in front of the entrance. Standing out in his red suit, cracking his whip, shuffling his feet, and was offering tickets and yelling through a loud hailer; "Come one, come all. Come see a being that no other have seen".

Linda snorted as she looked at the mixture of poor and well clothed people entering the house. "Don't tell me you're going to take me to a poor Penny Gaff show?"

"No, this is much better, believe me!"

As Pierre and Linda entered the main door, the man with the red suit smiled crookedly at them and waved his arms around, motioning to the show!

Following the stream of people they moved into to a huge room, or rather a gallery that was formed like pit. It had a half circular platform in the middle like an old amphitheater with a closed door at the edge. A lot of people were already gathered around over a half circular platform, waiting excitingly and looked curiously at the open stage. Wedging between the handfuls of sweaty and dirty people that crowded around them, her delicate nostrils flaring when the awful smell of human odors hit her and placed her gauntleted hand over her nose.

There were some wooden benches arranged to give more space and Pierre guided Linda over to a free bench, close to the platform and sat down.

"I knew it!" Linda giggled. "You're going to show me that Creature, aren't you!" We'll see if that thing will inspire me."

A sly grin spread across his face after Linda said that. "Yes, but believe me! The Creature will freeze your blood to ice and imprint his vision in your head forever."

Suddenly, the door burst open and three men entered, trying to drag something out to the platform, the thing that was still inside refused to cooperate but when the three men gave a final tug, a gigantic creature entered the stage.

* * *

A troop of armed men suddenly barged into the cell, startling John to a half sitting position from his dreamless sleep. He watched with fearful interest as they aimed their weapons and handheld lights around the dark interior. Finally, all arms were pointed in his direction, blinding him with their bright lights and guns over him.

"If you do as we say and don't make a single move without our permission, you might live." One of them spoke, pointing his gun near John's head so he wouldn't miss if John disobeys.

John regarded the man impassively, then after a moment, nodded his head slightly in the affirmative. Two men hold their guns near his head as four others unlocked the chains from the wall and floor and then held the chains hard and straight from each side of his body. Someone forced a dirty cloth in his mouth and tied the edges behind his head, preventing him from speaking or screaming and dragged him out from the cell. The men moved him through dark corridors, small galleries and corners until they reached a very small steel door where the three men entered first, still holding John's chains and forcefully dragged him out to the light. John struggled at first but there was no use, a gun loaded behind his back and the three men outside dragged his sore wrists hard so that he had no choice but to obey.

He entered it and the steel door snapped shut behind him, causing John to turn around in panic, seconds later he understood where they have brought him.

Staying in a prison cell with almost no light except from the moon and outside the door, made Johns eyes hurt. At first he couldn't see but after a few blinks he watched in horror as hundreds of people stared down at him from above their benches and platforms.

He was petrified, wanting to just disappear from the hundreds of eyes that were looking, gawking, pointing, and shouting at him. Countless faces hosting wide and horrified eyes came past, some laughing, some looking disgusted as they shouted to their comments and insults at him.

"Oh My Lord!"

"It's a monster!"

"Look how huge it is!"

"I have never seen anything like this before!"

"Vile ugly creature!"

After nearly two weeks of nearly total silence and isolation, this came as a shock to his system. Never in his whole life had he had so many people observing him. After of hiding from society for so long, this exposure was terrifying. He tried to scamper over to the nearest corner to hide but the chains that still locked around his wrists and neck. At each side of the edges, one strong man holds it straight and tight, forcing him to stay on that spot. Like the great Samson.

Linda had first glanced at him with meager curiosity. She had heard the gossip and the rumors about this creature appearance; Wings, goat's feet, red eyes and dragon`s tail, but she had just taken it with a bit salt. Believing that the creature probably was just a very, very ugly deformed man and not something that would look like the demons in one of the chapels' windows. She had been ready to look at him with mild disgusting but with no terror, but that was before her heart skipped at beat. Her eyes widened in terror. Mouth fell open and her vocal chords tried to make her scream or yell but failed to do so, for her mind was shocked at the image that it was receiving.

Pierre smiled with glee. Really, the whole day with annoying Linda was worth it just for that. Rising up from his seat, Pierre walked up to the stage and moved slowly towards John.

John felt defenseless, violated and greatly exposed. He desperately wanted to crawl away and hide; get away from the prying eyes of the public, but there was no refuge. He hated the attention, loathed them so much that he wanted to puke. And it wasn't getting any better when he noticed Pierre walking near him, glaring over him with his fancy clothes, walking stick in his hand, a large black top hat and his spiteful look on his face. He was close but he had learned his mistake and kept his distance as he paraded over the stage like he was the true hero of this play.

Then Pierre stopped and pointed straight at John with his stick. by That... thing is a menace!" His voice was dark and exaggerated to make this situation more dramatic. "A danger to society as we know it! It should never be allowed to see the light of day! Laura Galinette Dubios had summoned this demon from deep down in hell to gain fortune and terrorize our town. Do we really want our children to grow up in a world where those sorts of things exist?" Majority of the public howled in protest and several of them tried to go up on stage to make an end of this monsters existence, but got pushed away by the guards guarding it the stairs.

"Go away!" John tried to scream, desperately trying to drive them away but to no effect, the cloth only made his scream a harsh mumble, "Go away!" He repeated again but same result, tears of defeat swelling up in his eyes. All their eyes were glued to him at all angles. He couldn't take the attention. They hated him! They despised him! They loathed him. He hated them!

"Unfortunately..." Pierre continued with his speech. "Due to certain circumstances, we can't end this creature's life yet. It's a important evidence of witchcraft but be assured it won't be long. In the meantime, let us show it as an example so it will never happen again."

John let out a sob of despair, anger, defeat and loneliness, releasing all of the built up anguish he had gathered over the whole ordeal. He moved his head down, buried his crying eyes into his knees, trying to block out all of the judgmental stares, and stayed there for the rest of the show like a statue.

Holding with a death grip one of the several posters that was displayed around the city, saying_ "La Creature, come and see if you dare",_ Esther was last in line to get in and didn't have the opportunity until in the middle of the show to get a clear view what was happening on the stage. Seeing the miserable being that kept nailed on his spot for the viewers' pleasure, Ethers breathe caught in her throat as she met a pair of blue eyes that could only belong to one being.

"John?" she whispered, only audible to herself. His eyes lit with recognition just before he diverted his gaze shamefully, and lowered his face back to let his dark hair cover it.

Her mind became a whirlwind of questions. "How? Why? When' She turned on her heels and raced for the exit and she grabbed the man with the red suit with her hand.

"His look was too much for your eyes? Mad..."

Esther grabbed the man by his shirt collar and put her face close to his. "Hold your tongue!" she sneered in his face. "I want to know why you have him here! Who gave you the authority to show him off like a circus-freak?"

"Guards!" the man yelled nonplused, removing Esther's hand from near his throat. "I don't know what it is with you women, but I'll be nice and just have this security guard escort you from this area, and not the whole army"

"He has rights as does any other men!" Esther screamed. "What you're doing is torture and humiliation beyond limits! What has he ever done to you?"

"Oh, please," the man scoffed. "I have seen circus freaks before but this creature is a whole other dimension." He leaned closer to her to whisper as a security guard firmly took hold of Esther's arm. "Madame, if you not careful and keep your tongue still, they might charge your form conspiracy and witchcraft to." The man returned his attention to the passing crowd coming outside as Esther's was led or rather dragged from the area, being firmly warned to stay away from this monstrous show.

* * *

She didn't have a clue what day it was when Laura groggily awoke early in the morning. It took a couple of tries for her to force her eyes open and focus on anything. Her head was pounding and she felt as though she was going to throw up.

"Sit up there, and drink this." A nurse said as she stood next to the bed with a glass of water. Laura groaned and sat up, carefully took the glass and sipped it. It was cold and soothed her throat. After a few sips she felt the pressure in her head easing. Downing the rest of the glass, she handed it back to the nurse before flopping back onto the pillows.

"Thank you." She mumbled. She noticed she wore a simple nightgown and underneath it a bandage was wrapped around her chest so tightly she almost couldn't breathe.

A couple of minute's later, heavy footsteps neared the door, and the nurse stepped back slightly as it opened. Pierre stepped out and closed the door behind him, straightening his jacket and clearing his throat.

"It's good to see you awake, you're really a Sleeping Beauty!" He smiled at her but Laura ignored it.

Pierre's grin faded as he narrowed his eyes and strode over to stand face-to-face with Laura. Laura raised her chin up defiantly, silently challenging Pierre. Her body, which was still sore from the bullet, ached a bit when she raised her back straight from the pillows. Her now short red hair stood tangled around her head like fire and her before pale cheeks blushed now with hate towards him.

Pierre was the first to break the silence. "Perhaps the nurse has spoken to you about your upcoming future?"

"I find it hard to believe that I'"every got two stalkers after me who are sharing the same blood, flesh and evilness. What have I done to deserve such a treatment?" Laura spat back.

"I don't know? Madame Fortuna and your luck seem to have gone away for a while. Maybe moved to my side instead of yours and that pitiful monster." He tried to run his fingers through her short hair. "I hope you like your new haircut? It suits you." She flinched away from his hand.

"You're sick," she whispered coldly while looking back at him. Somehow, her obvious hatred towards him wasn't affecting him at all.

She attempted to leave the bed again. But then those same, but now rough hands grabbed her shoulders, forcing her face close to his. Laura could barely breathe as he started to violently clutch his fingers into her shoulders.

"Now, Laura, there is abundant evidence in our hands to show that you have given yourself to the Devil, reading of fortunes and using Witchcraft to summon a demon from hell. Do you deny it?"

"WHAT?"

"DON'T deny it, you're a witch and you tried to put a spell on me and when it didn't work, you tried to kill me by that monster of yours!"

"I haven't done any of these things! She screamed and jerked away from Pierre's clutches. "That's evil gossips! John is not a devil from hell as you call him, he has never hurt a living thing in his whole life, besides you, and you certainly understand why!"

"What's is he then? Why does he looks like he been stitch together like a ragdoll!"" Pierre angrily snapped back.

"He`s a human being and if I was a Witch, I would have given you a curse at the moment you laid your dirty hands on me or leaved this lair in a shape of a fog! What have you done to him? Tell me! What have you done to John!"

Taking a hard grip on Laura's wrist and pulling her closer to his chest, his breath stinking with congratulatory whiskey, Pierre sneered, "He thinks you're dead, I told him so myself! You should know what a mourning person might do when their beloved ones are gone and there no one to comfort or help them. Either they die in sorrow or get mad in sorrow."

Her face lost some of its anger and turned into fear. "You`re torture him?" Not being unfamiliar in that area, Laura knew perfectly well what he said, and that made her mind turn into ice and her stomach turn inside out in agony.

"He deserves it, and you are going to pay the same price as him when the trial condemns you."

_"He really is insane..."_ Laura thought, bewildered.

Laura took a deep breath and turned her head up in defiance. "I'm innocent!" She tried to say calmly. "Your words are not enough to prove these accusations false and I have friends that will protect and defend me and John."

Pierre didn't believe a single word or Laura's confident, he just snorted back at her. "What friends? Your foster parents? Their word against mine, the whole village and the court will be nothing. They have let this monster go free in our woods and let you befriend with it and...gods knows what...If they take your side, they will be forever rejected from the whole society. Think about it Laura, do you want them to end up as you or the creature? Think about it!" Feeling he had won this battle, he proudly marched out from the room, leaving Laura miserable and devastated.

Laura watched him go, feeling weak with worrying and sorrow. She heard a click, meaning that he had locked the door and she was trapped here, like a bird in a golden cage.

_"Why?"_ Her mind questioned. _"Why this?"_ She sat up slowly, her body so sore that tears formed in her eyes. But this wasn't the time to cry. _"I have to be brave. I have to get through this."_ But the thoughts of John and what he might be feeling right now, started her eyes to drop heavy tears, wet her cheeks as they trailed down.

She jumped as she felt hands across her shoulders and spun to face her attacker, only to meet the nurse's worried face. The nurse took her shoulders and tugged her gently back onto the bed. "Please lay down, you need your rest." She said. Laura was still silent as she let the nurse change her bandages and carefully tuck her in, her tears still trailing down her cheeks.

"He's lying! John is innocent! He's always been innocent and I love him." She desperately said to get some comfort and compassion for her feelings, but the poor nurse, by the straight orders from the master of the house, looked away from Laura's pleading eyes and kept her mouth shut.

How far could John's physics and mind take? After being together almost every day, she had learned a great deal about his strengths and weaknesses. His strength is his kindness, gentleness, not to mention his love and loyalty to her. But living with a face that almost not human can't stand and being shunned by society as a monster, it would be impossible to not have thoughts of revenge, hurting those who hated and despised him for his ugliness and to give them the same treatment. She knew she was the only anchor in the whole world that kept him on the right side. Esther and Toby were his friends too and he had little Milton's unconditional love, but was their friendship enough? Thinking about it, Laura's conclusion on that question was sadly: "Not enough!"

Not enough for him to stay away from the temptation to hurt and murder those who were hurting him and also "killed" her. Oh, now she wished that she wasn't the only sole anchor of his life. She was his Goddess and the only religion he believed in, not the God the average people believed in, because he was born unnatural and didn't have a "soul" or belief that God had his eyes on him with pity or kindness. But with her he had one, unfortunately.

Laura clutched her hands over her chest and prayed with all her heart for John's soul.


	24. A Vision?

**You think I`m kinda of a morbid, leaving John in that cruel situation but I had no choice. That chapter needed to be written to bind this new one together and create new dimensions in Johns personality.**

**Great thanks to ColeAndPhoebeForever/Kim who have offered her hand to help me with this chapter and for giving me wonderful reviews every time!**

**Dont forget to review!**

**Creature and the maiden ch 24**

John sat there, alone and shivering in the metal cage. After fourteen days in prison and three performances for the hated audience, his head was spinning with spiteful thoughts about them.

Hundreds of eyes had now seen his face and body, no one with a mixture of pity or sadness, not even to say a small word or looking to show they saw another side of him. For them, he was a monster!

No! He's a human! His body is made by human parts and no other creature's, so heeas a human being! Even Laura told him that. But he could feel a part of him not really believing it; he tried to ignore that side and figured it would eventually go away on its own.

But when the days and nights passed, the black small worm called "hate" began to increase its size in his mind, calmly whispering, "Why did you really need that filthy human's recognition and friendship? Why did you let them hurt you to this degree? Do you want to ignore or forgive them for hurting you like this or for what Pierre Rochester had done to Laura?"

In one night, he'd lost the woman he loved, had been attacked and beaten to within an inch of his life and then getting humiliated by showing him off like some sort of an animal trophy.

Laura should not have been the one dying on the cold dirty ground. She deserved to live, much more than he did, but she was the one who had gone pale as the life drained out of her.

How many times before had this same scene painted across the same scrap of his memory? It seemed to be on an endless, repetitive loop, warping over and over again, leaving the cold, tingling sensation of utter loneliness and despair.

The first show he was scared, had cried and covered his face by his black, tangled hair to avoid the stares. The next day the public wanted to see him again and this time he just apathetically stood there, his eyes lifeless and his figure limp as they goggled at him.

But the last straw came during the third show..."Filthy bastards! You'll pay dearly! Come up so I can tear off your limbs and dig your heart out from your chest!" After spitting out the towel he had screamed at the top of his lungs at them. He had felt his eyes turned black and his inner demon coming up to the surface and transformed him.

Yes, it had felt really good to scream those words and why shouldn't he pay them back what they have done for him? Unfortunately, his rage only increased the public's fear of him and it was a great difficulty to take him off the stage and prevent his audience from killing him too.

If John had thought more deeply about what his actions provoked and the effects of them, like giving his rage more gold coins into Pierre's pocket, he would have simply stayed on the floor, stared emotionless at the public and did nothing to give them or Pierre any satisfaction. They had trouble taking him down from the scene. He wanted to stay and continue with his rage, show his teeth and claws like an angry lion, and show them what he was truly capable of, until one of the guards took a hard stick and knocked him out with a stick on his head.

When John opened his eyes again, he had found himself lying on the ground, his hands bound with ropes behind his back once more. He narrowed his eyes to clear up his vision and he was not surprised to see Pierre standing above him.

"You will not die so easily," Pierre had promised and his voice was hard. "You will rot here, away from everyone's eyes, suffering your wingless fate, your appearance disgusting to behold, your very soul violated by pain and decay," he said. "But as long as there is life left in you, you will entertain my public and after they get tired of your ugly face, you will suffer an unending death in this cell. A fitting punishment...don't you think?"

John barely stared at him, he didn't move but his eyes betrayed his inner dark thoughts and either Pierre gave it a care or not, he gave him a hard hit on John's stomach with his boot and walked away.

Now, in the middle of the night, he managed to untie the rope around his wrists. But even with this small freedom, he still had this iron-necklace around his throat and the chains around his feet.

After days and nights spending a great portion of the time sobbing and screaming with violent rage, he now stared blankly into utter darkness, unsure whether he was awake or asleep, but his head kept on spinning with what he would do to pay them back. All of them! Every one of them!

It was fantasies with him as the monster, strangling and breaking Pierres neck, letting the eyes pop out of his head and his mouth drip with blood. Using a butcher knife to stab Mayor Rochester's heart and take it out while he's still alive. He imaged a plague would wash over the whole village, giving them water-blisters, red verrucas with yellow substances in them, destroying their faces, their bodies and later ending their lives. A mass destruction that would teach them a great lesson and he would watch and enjoy every bit of it!

And his father...Victor Frankenstein. He wasn't sure what kind of revenge he deserved, but he would make him burn in hell for all eternity. If this would be his only quest for the rest of his life, so be it!

Just as he thought that, a blinding flash of light, like a thunderbolt, momentarily appeared somewhere in the vicinity of the cell, making his eyes hurt by its brightness he blinked to get some moisture into his dry, hurting eyes. He was about to stand up when a movement in the corner of his left eye interrupted him and turned his head towards it, causing him to jump on his spot.

In the corner of the cell sat a very old woman, hunched over her spinning wheel and wrapped in her shawl. The room was totally black, save for a dull light through the small window over his head, that illuminated like a silver spotlight gave John enough light to see her.

Her white hair was covered with a little cap, her face was a quake of earthen wrinkles and sunk into her small neck. The clothes were old and torn with a few holes and her shawl had seen better days. The spinner kept her hands very close to each other and the fibers held, fanned out in one hand, and the other hand pulled a small number from the mass. There was never any twist between those two hands and John looked with slight curiosity at the small thread that came out from the old woman's nimble fingers, the hands were gnarled like a lizard's tail as they worked.

But he was more worried about how this woman came in and why hadn't he noticed her before? He hadn't heard the door open and close, nor any sounds or words either. Come to think of it, he notice that the spinning wheel didn't make any sound at all while the woman kept the wheel going on with her small foot and only her hands sounded from their old bones.

"Who would be frighten of an old woman who means no harm?" the old woman suddenly said, her words tired but strangely frustrated as though she was preparing to scold a child.

John's shoulders were tense and he couldn't take his eyes off her, but the woman's voice was clear and free like falling water. Grunting slightly, John raised his arms and pushed his body up, using his knees as a support.

"Sit down or your wounds will open again."

"Who are you?"

"Who I am is not of any importance right now and I think you would certainly be confused if I gave you my name and would ask thousands of questions to which I can't give proper answers. But we certainly know well why you're here, don't we?"

"I'm ...I'm in prison because I'm not like them." John answered shortly, still staring at the old woman with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

"Good answer, but this is about much more than your face, there are intrigues and evil plots working right now and they all are about Laura."

John nodded slightly, thinking of Pierre and his father Rochester. "Of course, but that doesn't explain how you came in here and what do you want? Who are you and what's your relation to Laura? I want to know!"

She answered without delay, "I want to help you."

"Why do you want to help me?"

"If you continue like this you will die and I don't want you to die." She answered him honestly.

"I'm certainly not going to die here." He snapped and looks angrily at her, raising his voice. "I want vengeance upon the entire filthy human race that ruined mine and Laura's life and I want..." But the old woman suddenly raised her voice. So high and so deep he wasn't sure if the voice really came from her fragile form. She looked hard straight into his eyes.

"It's the same to die, my dear and I thought you might be different, but from your little outburst at the show and these thoughts you're having about turning into this monster they believe you are, but I'm beginning to doubt it now. I thought you had some intelligence hidden within this black, filthy hair of yours."

"My little outburst?" He yelled. "This is actually not your business! I have every right to think whatever I want to think and my feelings about those who trapped me here, chained me, hurt me and also despise me aren't zr concern. I have all rights to hate them back!"

"You have a good point there, I admit." She added quietly. "Your birth and your life are extraordinary, and your father, or rather Victor Frankenstein, was ambitious but na`ive to think bringing life to the death would solve many pain and sorrows in the world. But when you're crossing the line into the unknown land of the dead, our souls are never meant to come back to the living. Let me tell you this, when you come back to the other side again, you will be judged by your actions if you decide to make these black thoughts real."

"I have no soul Madame!" John stated. "I`m a poor prototype of a thoughtless man's dreams."

"You're unique, but sise every person in this world."

"But no one has a face like mine!" John screamed as he crawled closer to the old woman, tempting to grab her bony fingers and stop her no interrupting spinning.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that you're alone to feel like an outcast." Her voice was more calm and secure and her eyes fixed again on the small thread between her fingers.

John felt lightheaded and his hands trembled. He knew it was from going without food for so long he was most certainly mad now, but it doesn't matter anymore, he told himself, no one would care. He closed his eyes and opened them again, looking at the wheel.

"I'm not quite sure if I'm halucinating all this or you used some magic to get inside here because I surely would have noticed if someone dragged a spinning wheel in here."

"This is not an ordinary wheel, with this I can see the past, present and the future, I can also see what you might have been if you hadn't met Laura and gone straight to Victor."

"You do? Does he accept me?" John wondered.

The old woman merely stared at him, and for a moment, John longed with all his being to wipe the horrible look of pity from her face as spoke.

"No, and he has good reason for it! Your thirst for revenge would have cost his whole family's lives, also his and your sanity and conscience. You both would have been the victim and the villain and you both would die miserably. A sad and tragic ending."

With fast hands, John tore off Laura's necklace from his neck and showed it to her, the turquoise pendant laying flat and cold in his palm. "I would have at least spared Lauras life and left her in peace. In that world she would be alive!" He whimpered.

The old woman gazed up at him for a moment, and then she looked down at her working fingers again. "Your life has not been kind, you're product of one tragic event after another, along with many poor choices; your own, your father's and the human races as well. But there are people all over the world that have lived through worse things than you. Even this moment poor humans are locked up and treated like animals on boats, dragged away from their homes and families by force. They are crossing a great Ocean to an unknown country where they will be sold as slaves and will be treated as dirt. Thousands and thousands of women and young children are either sold to a pimp or a brothel where their bodies will be displayed and used by cruel men who only see them as toys or whores. There are humans who without any conscience or goodness in their hearts can destroy another human's life and family with an eye blink, and worst of all...enjoying it."

When John heard what she said, his body flinched and backed away from her, with a look of absolute horror and disgust on his face.

"Why are you telling me all of these? To make me feel less miserable and more tolerant of humanity? Well you're wrong! I have read some part of human history and I have crossed the words slavery and war dozens of times, I couldn't see an end of it. Telling me this sorrowful things about these poor victims is not helping me to gain any hopes that humans one day will realize andrepent of what they are doing and what they have done! I'm sorry, but your words only give me more reasons why I should give those people what they truly deserve, because there is no justice for me and no one who is on my side to help me. I hate them! I hate them all and they deserve my hate!"

"It's not worth anything if you do the same." She replied softly, making John blink in surprise..

"The process is still too slow to see any improvements and I'm afraid that we'll need to suffer wars and more misery before we will finally throw down our weapons and see the world and + from another perspective. But they are people NOW who are aware of these mistreatments and trying to fix them. People who are beginning to think less of themselves, money and power, to see how their friends, neighbors, servants and those who come from a different culture are living; too try to understand their feelings and needs. Some escape or might get saved from their cruel fates, with scars that are not visible to the eye but cover a great part of their souls. Either they heal over time or grow worse and destroy them. Like yours.

"If you choose the part of revenge you`little end up like your double twin, innocent blood on your hands and forever hating yourself for what you have done. Your soul is not meant to hate or live with these possible consequences on your shoulders."

After what seemed like hours of tense, undisturbed silence, he said in a small voice. "When I lived with the peasant family, I saw how poor and miserable they were but even they only had small scraps of bread on their table, they didn't hesitate to help if a poor beggar knocked on their door. But only two of this lovely family treated me as an equal, the grandfather and his granddaughter. The old man with no sight and a girl who barely understood what she saw. His son and daughter in law saw me in a different view. They were good and honest people, but they cast me out. With their first glance at me, they feared me and thought I was going to hurt their beloved child and they were GOOD. I have no place in their society and I will never be accepted."

"Perhaps you've heard of the golden ^rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

John snarled hoarsely, sounding more animal than human. "Oh yes, and I have tried! A beautiful but na`ive rule and I think it should be an alternative rule: "Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you."

"How about Laura, Esther and Toby? Or Milton? Haven't they showed any kindness or affection?"

"Yes they have, but only Laura and I got the chance to love and be loved."

"Laura is definitely the light of your life and the only person who you love as a woman and more than a friend and I believe her feelings for you are the same as yours to her. But don't let her be the only thing in the whole universe to be the only subject for you to never leave the road of goodness and morality."

John reached out, his fingers gripping on the familiar red locks from the ground near him. They were dirty now after been crushed by boots and fingered endlessly by him. Bringing them close to his face, John inhaled deeply.

"But she is the only reason for me to live and be good, if Pierre has harmed her or his words are true that`s she`s... dead. Then why should I give any pity back to him or the people off this god damn town!"" He got lost in the scent and felt as if he hadn't learned how to breathe until that moment. He love her so much, is it selfish to miss her?

"Because she doesn't want you to kill or commit any crime and become like them. Remember the night when she prevented you from killing Pierre?" The old woman explained.

John remembered...How can you be so kind? "I have found something for which I kept fighting."

"...I don't want to see you killing anyone, even someone who deserves it. It's not easy, I know! There are times when you think that no matter how kind or pleasant you are there is no one who sees you because of your face..."

His stomach knoted and John moved his hands over his face, his eyes brimming with tears. "It's not..." he started to sob. "It's not that I have forgotten it but it's...

The old lady cocked an eyebrow, her strange eyes glistening. "Go on," she said simply, and somehow, that was enough. It all tumbled out from his mouth.

"She...She didn't want me to kill him and go down to his lowly level. What she wanted me to do is continue to live a good life and never harm an innocent man even if he tries to harm me. I have the strength to prevent him from hurting or killing me in self-defense but I shall never kill or harm him back if it were not necessary. When I am not in her presence, it is almost impossible, don't you understand! Now that she isn't there for me, it's Impossible to deal with it!"

She stopped spinning, put away her thread and knelt down in front of him, taking him by the shoulders.

"Poor John! I do understand how you're feeling. But she has given you many happy times and you two have created memories that are hard to forget. Use them to remember her and your reason to fight the hatred and darkness inside of you, even though she isn't there beside you in flesh and blood."

And she gently took him into her arms. She was much smaller than he was and he could feel her fragile bony arms only reaching halfway around him. But still, it felt like she was much bigger and stronger and he was just a little boy, begging to be hugged and soothed. Mournful tears slid down his cheeks and dripped onto his filthy, blood-stained skirt.

"I don't know who you are or how you came here, but I thank you for your kindness, it's feels like an eternity since someone treated me as a friend and equal, but it's easier to say than do! I'm trapped here and I suffer. I have tried to fight but they are too many. I'm starving, bleeding and I have no strength left in me. What shall I do?"

She looked down and saw John's head buried into her bony shoulder, she could feel him trembling.

"You don't need to worry anymore, but you need to wait, no one has ever taken your pride away, and it will not happen now either. Throughout my life I've had to watch those that I love die and perish all around me. My beautiful daughter was dead before me and so my granddaughter, Laura, is all that is left of my blood and I don't want her life to end here now, and not yours either."

"What do you...""

When John glanced up from her shoulder, a vision he never thought he would expect made him start back in surprise. It wasn't any old woman who had her hands over his shoulders anymore. Frame in a sort glowing light, stood a woman before him, with a face so achingly familiar.

So like hers ... But it was not her!

The woman looked older and more mature, an imposing and motherly warm figure. Her red locks were thicker, like a red Gloria around her head, her face more freckled like she liked to be out in the sun a lot. But this face, so calmly serene, so excruciatingly beautiful, this face was the face of someone who had stood closest to Laura during her last old years in life.

The woman smiled. "She's not dead, I can assure you. So fight, fight for yourself and for her! For your freedom! For your past, for your present and your future! Keep fighting, force them back, and do not let these people outside the bars ever get inside of your soul. If you do that, I will help you!"

"But ... But you're just a dream, you can't be..." John stuttered as her body began evaporating, just like water into the air. Before she disappeared completely, John heard her utter.

"Not everything can be explained by science or technology. Some things will and shall always be left to the unknown and non explained and that must always be. But let me assure you that I'm more than what you see and you shouldn't be afraid of what happens next...trust me...you will be very surprised."

Before John could ask another question or even regain his footing or close his mouth, the woman completely disappeared and the prison turned back as it was before.

Suddenly reality and consciousness returned to John with a large cold wet splash of musty muddy water that was poured unceremoniously over his face and body, after that a harsh abrasive wool cloth over his head. It was one of the guardians again, checking him out to make sure he was alive.

"Boy! You really stink, use this to get some of that filth and blood off you or else you will surely scare away the audience with it." He sourly said as he walked out again and slammed the door after himself.

Confused, John slowly took the wet cloth and tilted his head back against the stone wall. Carefully, he scrubbed his face and neck, letting its coldness soothe him fevered mind. His fingers touched Lauras necklace, which he had hidden deep inside his shirt and tattered jacket. It was still there, he had not taken it off. He took a hard grip around the pendant, closing his eyes, and rubbing his other hand over his eyelids with thetowel.

"Halucination or ghost..." He whispered. "Your words inspired me to keep my last part of me intact and not take the final step to my downfall. I promise you I will not kill, but I promise I will never forgive or forget."


	25. Searching

**Wow! It`s been a long time I last updated!**

** I`m terribly sorry for this long delay but I promise to stay focus and try to write and complete more chapters during this autumn and winter. **

**Who knows? Maybe December 21: e 2012 will be the last day on earth and I don't want my story to lay uncompleted when the time comes. Naaaaaa…..dont worry! I take this "End of the world" thing easy. I don't think it will be end of the world that day, it just the last page on the Mayan Calendar, that's all! ****Maybe one of the ****Archelogisist ****might dig up a completely new Mayan calendar from their ancient graves soon.**

**I want to say Thank You to "geckogirl" for helping me to reread and correct my misspellings and grammar. Thank you for your help!**

**P.S The person who asked about my Avatar! The illustrator for this lovely piece is no other than "Flameshadow117". Check out her drawings on Deviantart.**

**Creature and the Maiden chapter 25.**

An old bearded man, wearing a fatigued coat and dark grey hat slipped out of the wagon, threw his worn bag on his shoulder before heading up to the main door of a grand painted mansion.

The building was yellow and bright, surrounded with large trees with spring leaves, bushes with raspberries and blackberries on them. White and yellow flowers were blossomed in the stone pots nearby while in the distance was a small prim cemetery. The man could hear voices from the backyard which alerted him to where he could find the owners of the house.

His eyes roamed the mansion for any visible changes but it all looked the same. James Dubois couldn't rid himself of the smile that tugged at his wrinkled mouth. The house of Frankenstein still looked to be an ideal home for a happy family. Last time he was here, was Caroline and Alphonse's marriage. That had been a joyful day that he would never forget.

By the time he arrived to the mansion, he'd worked his anxiety down enough so that he'd be able to handle it. The longing was almost unbearable and he couldn't think anything more than to see her loving face and hold his girl in his arms again.

She must be here. She must! Where else could she have gone?

"_Please God, You have showed little mercy during my long journey and I know I have not deserved it but for my daughters sake, please, please let me see her. Show me some small proof of your goodness that she is safe, unharmed and happy. But most importantly… that we will be together again." _

He glimpsed a small handsome boy running through the nearby field chased by a laughing maid while he tried making his kite fly. Not far away from them, down on the hill, he spotted the great Geneva Lake, shinning bright and blue under the warm sun. On its beach he noticed a small pier and a belvedere beside it and underneath it sat an older gentleman and a young woman. The woman was drawing something on a canvas while the old man was nestled in his chair reading his newspaper intently.

The perfect life! A perfect idyllic life he himself had enjoyed before the catastrophe happened. His eyes eagerly starred at the young woman but felt a pang of disappoint when he observed that her hair was blonde…not red.

Despite his fatigue a small smile appeared on his face. The journey had taken a lot out of him but what kept him going was the hope to find the someone he haven't seen for many years.

He had barely made his way down the small winding path when the boy came crashing into him.

"Ouch!"

The boy's unexpected greeting caused the tired man to sway as he winced at the force. Bending on his knees he surveyed the little boy who was lightly tanned with a freckled face. His little cherubic features mirrored his dear's cousin's eyes perfectly.

"You should be more careful where you`re running boy." James said gruffly looking down at the slightly confused boy.

"I`m sorry…" The boy said in a shy voice.

"Is that your family down there?"

"Yes."

Hearing the commotion the couple under the belvedere looked up from their activities and saw the James. At first they didn't recognize him but when they began walking towards him, a grand smile appeared on Alphonse's face.

"Mr. Dubois?" said Alphonse Frankenstein said happily, greeting him with open arms. "James, Is that you?!"

"I`m afraid it is." Mr. James Dubois smiled tiredly.

"It's so nice to see you again. How have you been?"

"As you can see, not a particularly calm or comfortable life for the last couple of years." James acknowledged him and gave him a big hug. "But now I'm here I feel more like my old self again." After the hug he turned to the young woman. "And you must be Elizabeth Lavenza?! How have you been?"

"Oh I'm quite well," said Elisabeth smiling, through her confusion, "It's been a long time since last I saw you."

"Why haven't you made your visit here sooner? I haven't seen you for years!" Alphonse said as he motioned the group to start moving toward the mansion.

"I have been busy traveling around the world and that has cost me a great deal of my precious years and almost all my strength. But tell me…Where's my beloved Laura?"

"Laura?"

Seeing Alphonse's puzzled look James was starting to feel very nervous. "I…I was hoping she would be here…with you. Please, please tell me she's here. I have waited so long!"

"Who?" Alphonse wondered.

"My daughter…Laura." James said in barely a whisper, and then coughed. "She must be…I don't know where else she could…" James closed his eyes, tears slipping out and skidding down his face only to be absorbed by his old coat. His throat constricted and he coughed once more.

Both Alphonse and Elisabeth hurried up and catch James under their arms before his legs started to give up. And all the meanwhile poor William stood there utterly perplexed behind, his Nanny, Justine's comfortable hands over his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dubois. But your daughter is not here. Why would you think she would be?"

"The last time I met her was when I and mother came to visit you in Marseille." Elisabeth added with a worried tone in her voice.

It didn't take long for Alphonse to put the pieces together. "No, I'm afraid to tell you she's not."

"I haven't seen my daughter for many years and I was hoping perhaps you…" James whispered sadly.

Alphonse Frankenstein nodded understandably. "I think you first need something warm in your stomach and then you can tell us all about what's happened to you and Laura." And he saw that James was about to protest, Alphonse lifted his hand and said quickly; "I understand, believe me, but no arguments! You definitely need a brandy or two."

By the time dusk broke over the Frankenstein mansion, Mr. Dubois was dressed into warmer and more suitable clothing with a cozy blanket over his knees. Instead of the brandy he was offered, he quietly sipped tea with some herbal ingredients in it to soothe his throat and calm his nerves. After a short introduction to Alphonse's youngest son William, James got the chance to meet his oldest son: Victor Frankenstein.

He had been warned of Victor's appearance because of bad health but when James saw Victor's face he was certainly surprised. His brown hair looked damp and thin, under it two deep sunken holes that ad become his eyes, as if someone has painted him with blue ink, his cheekbones looked sharp as a knife and his clothes looked too big for his body. But he was very calm and polite and welcomed James into their home with deep sincerity in his voice.

Sitting all together in the living room and near the open fire, James could explain more of his tragic tale.

"People thought I was dead. I was in the brink of death when the ship I was onboard got wrecked in a terrible storm. But I survived. Because I have been lost at sea for many years and almost everyone believed I was dead, I returned to my hometown to discover that I had been totally deceived by my own partner Mr. Crottington. The company was in total ruin with a despicable reputation, Mr. Crottington was gone from the town and my daughter was missing and I have no idea where she is! I was a fool to trust my entire business and my own precious daughter into his hands.

"She could have been adopted or being in care by a nice family?" Elisabeth said gently.

"Then I should have known but there was no single soul in Marseilles who knew where she went. Some told me that Mr. Cottington had sent her to a boarding school far away, others that she was sent away to live with some relatives. That's why I came here because you're the only ones I could think of. Where else could he have sent her?!"

Alphonse Frankenstein sat beside him. "It is certainly a heavy burden to carry, not knowing what's having happened to your child. I should have been more watchful for your and for your daughter's welfare. Your ships may be lost forever, but we're not. I will certainly help you to reconstruct your company again and search for your daughter."

James took a deep sigh in relief. "Thank you Alphonse. Thank you for your kindness! It's means more than you can imagine."

"I now remember your daughter, Mr. Dubois!" Elisabeth smiled said as she laid a friendly hand on his knee. "It's been a long time but I remember we both liked to play with each other when we were children. I could never reach the same level of her never-ending energy. She loved to climb up in trees or run wild in the woods pretending to be a Spirit or a Banshee."

Thinking of these fond memories Mr. Dubois couldn't help but smile warmly at her. "I think you preferred to be Princess or a Fairy. I recall Laura braiding your hair with flowers and green grass."

"Oh yes!" Elisabeth laughed "I was a princess and she was big horrible witch who had kidnapped me from my father the king and mother queen and trapped me in her cage."

Mr. Dubois laughed to. "I remember the 'cage' very clearly. You both made a fantastic job creating that wood hutch in the garden."

"Laura liked to cover her face with dirt and ruffle her bright red hair into a mess so she would look like for a real evil spirit. She would then chase after me with her hands all covered in mud. I was so afraid that she would ruin my white dre-dear Victor! Are you alright?"

They turned around and saw Victors pale face, staring out in the fire like he had seen something terrible in the flickering red and yellow flames.

"Victor? Are you alright?" Alphonse asked with an apprehensive tone.

"Please excuse me, I don't feel very well." Victor claimed feverishly and immediately got up and rapidly left the room, earning worried looks from his fiancée and a reproachful face from his father.

"I`m sorry for my sons behalf, He has been very sick and has not fully recovered." Alphonse said, smiling sadly at James.

"Don't worry about it, as you can see yourself I'm not a beauty either."

"Well, after Caroline… passed away…. things just haven't been the same." Alphonse said as he looked up at Caroline Frankenstein's portrait over the fire. A blond beautiful woman in a white dress was staring down at them with a soft and almost sad smile in her eyes.

"Victor's been having many night terrors as of late." Elisabeth said despairingly.

"Night terrors, you say?" Mr. Dubois said.

"Yes! At first we thought that he had completely recovered from the brain-fever but just a month ago he started being terrorized by some horrid dream almost every night."

"What kind?"

"We don't know the nature or source of his anxiety and he refuses to tell us. Every day he looks further and further from his former self. You should have seen him couple a years ago, so full of live and ambition. Where did that part of him go? Victor simply doesn't trust us anymore. Perhaps you can tell me James."

Reflecting of Elisabeths and Alphones misery tale of their poor Victor, James looked up at his dear dead cousin portrait at the wall. He felt sad that he didn't have the chance to say goodbye to her. She had been one of the few remarkable women in the world; full of life and love she generously shared with everyone. When someone was sad, lonely or in desperation for help, she were the first to reach her hand and help them. Inspecting her blue eyes, James felt like she knew what`s happening to her poor family. Knew Victors secret but was beyond her reach to help them because she was now living in another world and unable to help them.

"_My dear Caroline, even your soul is now far away, send me a guide or at least a sign that would help me find my Laura again and perhaps give me a clue how to help your son Victor from his misery. Both sides of your family tree are now under great despair and we need help! Please help us! Give us a sign that might lead us to a happy ending of this tragic story."_

* * *

The first three days after his long journey Mr. Dubois was mostly bedridden, because of a slight fever. He had barely eaten, drank, or slept for nearly a week before he came to Frankenstein's home. Still alone and growing steadily older didn't mean he haven't given up quite yet though. Both he and Alphonse were very busy writing letters to old business partners, studying maps and looking through Mr. Crottington's old journals and papers that James had luckily found while staying in Marseille. The papers told them how gruesomely Mr. Crottington has taken care of the business and but there was barely any mention of Laura.

Elisabeth was a wonderful hostess. Calm, sweet and gentle she lightened James mood many times, taking him outside and showing him the lovely, natural surroundings, telling him about her darling cousin William, Justine, her precious friend and maid, as well as her dear, poor, beloved, Victor. She also spoke of her own history before she came to live with the Frankenstein family. Despite difference in personalities Elisabeth and Laura both had shared the same feelings in losing someone precious and not knowing what to do when they were alone in the world.

About a week later James was sitting in his chair, working as always. . Scattered over the desk were papers and maps of Switzerland and the small country's neighbors such as France and Italy. He had been working every evening and finally he was starting to feel tired. Standing and stretching, he was surprised to see the sun setting. His stomach growled and he decided to go down to the kitchen and ask the maid for a piece of bread and tea before he continued with his work again.

The house was now dark with naught but a few candles lighting the way, but he eventually saw the light of the kitchen and headed toward it. Surprisingly he found Victor there, staring out the window with a cup in his hands. Noticing James's presence Victor turned and gave a small nod of greeting.

It was extremely clear, though life continued regularly, that the Frankenstein's were very worried of Victor's continual depression.

And indeed Victor was a mystery.

Except for the first family meeting by the fire James had not seen Victor leave his room except for a few times to dine with them. His clothes were wrinkled and scuffed in places, his hair was dirty, and his eyes looked more like two deep holes. Most of all he looked to be in desperate need of sleep with peaceful dreams.

"I`m sorry that I haven't been the best good host as of late…but I haven't been feeling well lately."

"Elisabeth told me that you have just recovered from brain-fever. It's highly understandable if you not feeling well yet. You were studying in Ingolstadt when it happened, in medicine, if I'm correct?"

"Chemistry actually, and I was fortunate to have professor Waldman as my tutor."

"I'm sorry; I don't think I've ever heard of him."

"He inspired me to both look into the past studies of various scientist's works." Victor smiled tiredly. "He is one of the very few professors who encouraged us students to study such people of the past in order to guide us in future discoveries."

"I have heard about men such as Agrippa and the Philosophers stone. It wouldn't be so bad to create gold without digging it but…I have too much experience to know that everything comes with a price. Nothing is free"

"Yes…nothing is free…there always a price to pay…" Victor pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes, breathing slowly and deeply.

"Though I will things such as nature are free: Just look outside." James said as he pointed out the window. It was dark outside but the sky was cloudless with thousands of stars shinning bright over them. The moon was full and bright almost like her brother the Sun.

"Yet, I would not wish to pluck the flowers of fields and bushes just to put them into pots and vases as they slowly die. They are far too beautiful," James continued.

"I totally agree with you.r" Victor said as he looked out. "Back in Ingolstadt, I was once too blind to see the beauty of the world, perhaps until now."

"I was blind once, too." James stood up and reached out with his hand into his pockets. Taking out a small portrait, he looked at it with great love, as well as with great sadness in his eyes.

"You're still young and still have much to offer to this world. Just…be careful where you offer your love and passion. I would think if were on the brink of death not so long ago, and with all of studying to find something that would change the world, it might cost you more than just your health."

Victor avoided James's eyes and looked down on his cup. Considering that he had created the most extraordinary and horrible being that had ever existed on the earth, he admittedly never cared for the religious or ethical issues until it was too late.

Aware of Victor's sudden coldness, James quickly switched the subject and continued with something safer.

"We both have our difficult times and I'm so sorry for the loss of your mother. I didn't hear until a couple of months ago that our dear Caroline has passed away." James smiled sadly as he poured a cup of tea from the teapot for himself.

"She was a wonderful woman, your mother. I remember Caroline very well when she was just a little girl. We both were great playmates and sweethearts. Not in a romantic way though we shared a great bond with each other. Her father was a merchant just like mine. Unfortunately he got tricked, robbed and a number of other numerous disasters occurred in the company that left him in the end ruined and poor. Proud but very stubborn he refused to take any charity; he paid all his debts with the last of his ruined fortune and left Marseille forever with Caroline." James took a sip from his tea before going on.

"I can't help to compare myself with the late Mr. Beaufourt. He was an honorable man but without getting his hands dirty he ended up trouble. He ended up with no house or money leaving his daughter vulnerable. Later we heard he had died in Caroline's small arms, leaving her as an orphan and beggar in an unknown town here in Switzerland. My family would gladly have taken Caroline into our wings but at that time we were just as poor as them and she lived to far away for us to get her. Your father and Mr. Beaufourt were good friends even the last years their contact were most in sharing letters. Likewise your father drove out in his attempt to discover and rescue Caroline from her misery. Later, both from gratitude and love she married him."

Victor's eyes shot up as he stared straight into James eyes. Small pearls of tears in the corners of Victor's eyes were now visible and with a slight shaky but very warm tone in his voice he slowly said. "Thank you for telling me this Mr. Dubois. She was my muse during my studies but now I wish I had shared more of my mother's humility and affections of other living beings. It's not that I didn't care for them but while studying in Ingolstadt I became very selfish and unsocial. But something remarkable happened back there…so unbelievable fantastic and horrifying that I can now hardly believe I really done it with my own hands."

"What was it?"

"I…I don't know now that I think about it. Before my sickness I desired to create a perfect human being, free from disease and invulnerable to death. But when I saw the result of my hard labors I…I became ill and then came the horribly brain-fever. "

James left eyebrow rose instantly. "You tried to be a new Prometheus?"

"Yes…perhaps." Victor said quietly.

"Prometheus did create remarkable things and helped humanity come out from their cages and explore the world. He showed and inspired them to create tools and machines to compensate for our weak bodies. The gods didn't like that Prometheus made the humans independent and the last straw was the fire. You know what happened to him don't you?"

"No one deserves to have his liver eaten by an eagle while still being alive but I think I see myself more as his younger brother Epimetheus at this point. To blind to see what I was actually doing before it was too late."

James moved closer to Victor and patted Victor's right shoulder.

"I think you're not his brother! You're not greedy like I was before the tragedy happened. When I was young I wanted to discover the world, visit exotic countries and make a great fortune with my own hands. The journey was hard but so exciting. When I got older I meet my dear wife Lillian and gave birth to the loveliest creature on earth. When I held Laura in my arms I knew there was nothing I wouldn't do to protect this blessing with all my heart. For a while my family was happy and the company flourished but the fairytale ended quickly. You have no idea how hard it was for me to work my way up to become one of the richest and most renowned tradesmen in the city. I knew the risks to save the company but I didn't pay any attention to them until that storm came and almost drowned me. During that storm I realized the terrible mistake I had made. But I was far too desperate to make everything work again. I didn't want to end in the same boat as Mr. Beafourt…but I did…poor and miserable. But the difference is that I don't have my daughter. I have been far too long out in the sea so…I'm afraid that she would either hate me, perhaps thinking I have abandoned her, or believe I'm dead and buried in the sea."

Victor held his gaze for a moment, before quickly looking away.

"I doubt that she hates or holds any negativity against you if she still remembers the time when you were together! Your deep affection for her shows that you care for her and have never stopped thinking of her. It's not your fault it has taken so many years to come home again." Victor said in a low but warm friendly voice. "Our prayers go out to you for finding your daughter and I definitely believe that you'll find her one day and you'll both have your happy ending."

When Victor looked up again, James was able to see the pain that he had buried in his dark and tired eyes. "But for me it's over!" Then he suddenly stood up from his chair and rapidly left the room heading outside.

James watched him leave with concerned eyes. Something wasn't right… James walked towards the kitchen window looking outside to try to locate wherever Victor have disappeared. It was too dark to see clearly but he thought he saw a black shadow walking towards the small cemetery.

Slowly he moved out into the garden. The moon and the bright stars shining over the old man's head as he approached where he thought he had seen Victor.

Later James found Victor just as he had expected, on his knees, head hung low, in front of a fresh grave. Only when his eyes began to adjust the darkness did he notice the thin marks on the grave, 'Caroline Frankenstein'.

Hesitantly, James put a hand on Victor's shoulder. When he didn't move, James softly called out his name, bringing him out of his depression and misery.

"Victor?"

With a speed and agility that astounded him, given his current condition, Victor was on his feet, with his wrist caught in James's right hand between them. His eyes were practically crazed for a moment as he looked at the older gentleman. James quickly let the younger man's hand go and slowly backed away with his hands up in apology.

"I couldn't leave you alone in such a sad state. Your face showed too much pain to ignore," He said calmly. "I had no intention to scare you, I`m sorry!"

Once again Victor stared at him for a moment before breaking off and looking away.

"I'm sorry." He responded in a subdued voice.

"Lets us sit down," said James pointing to a nearby bench." I don't know the reason why you can't talk to either Elisabeth or your father but if you prefer you can talk to an old, sad stranger and let me be your listener. If there anything you wish to talk about, anything important or unimportant, just say it. It might be good for you!"

James gently took his arm and led him to a bench, where they both sat down. Both he and Victor looked into the dark sky, noticing clouds that were beginning to appear over them, while thunder could be heard nearby. But for now the air was warm and the sky dry. They sat there for a while, listening to the distant thunder until James broke the silence with a small comment.

"You know, Victor, I used to be terrified of storms."

"Really?!"

"You would be surprised." James couldn't help to laugh. "The mere sound of thunder would induce a nervous breakdowns. It was quite embarrassing for a grown man like me."

"How did you overcome it?"

"My wife, Lillian. She drove all my fears away by telling stories. She told me that it was Thor, God of Thunder who was on his usual Troll hunt. She had so many amazing tales and it was that particular story that soothed me. But that was before she died."

"What happened?"

James sighed. His hands were still shaking and his stomach felt as if there was someone piercing it with needles.

"She died in childbirth. Neither she nor my son made it. She was too fragile and my son came too early and couldn't survive on his own…he died three days later."

"I'm very sorry. I didn't know."

"It's all right," James said with a despairing smile and once again patted Victor's shoulder heavily. "We both certainly understand the loss of something that was so loving and precious to us: enough to think it's unfair that God would bring them to heaven so early."

"Life is nothing but a mechanism. It is simply part of the nature and not of god," Victor whispered. His eyes started take on a mad quality again and he stared hard down at the ground, as if he could to burn a whole in the mud.

"Pardon?"

"Death is, by definition, an end of bodily existence and, therefore, the existence of the mind. When we are taking our last breath, our hearts stops pumping blood through our veins and organs stop functioning, and then it's all over. The body starts to rot and eventually it is nothing more than bones. I…I don't believe in an existence after our mortal body dies. There is nothing left behind but the memories of the loved or hated person."

James glared at Victor for a few more moments, as if trying to reconcile what he has just heard. "You…you sound very much like an atheist! You don't want to image that your mother, my wife Lillian and my baby son might be in another world? A beautiful world with other good and honest people in it? How dull and horrible our life would be without believing it." He said with a calm but slight shaky voice.

"You muster understand James, My mother was a saint, so why? God no longer existed for me after the day my mother died." He looked like he was getting ready to leave again, but James reached out and grabbed his shoulder not allowing him not leave his seat.

"How you believe that "GOD" or the meaning of our existence is entirely up to your ideals. I have debated with many religious thinkers and heard many different prayers and seen ancient rituals performing by the local peoples in Caribbean, Africa and India. Despite the difference they all share a vision that the human souls doesn't disappear like dust into the air. Everyone thinks that there is something after this life; either by Recantation, Nirvana or Heaven and Hell."

"I knew when I realized there was no paradise at the very moment when my hell began."

"Your Hell?"

"You have no idea what I have done. During my studies in Ingolstadt, I finally discovered something remarkable and horrifying."

Bitterness swamped over Victors pale face for a moment, showing the pain and regrets that were clawing at his insides.

"Mr. Dubois… can I tell you something?" James nodded. Victor turned toward him with cold but haunted look.

"I don't believe in magic. I hardly believe that the spirits of our beloved and hated still lives among us and I don't share any interests of Spiritism and its followers…And yet, I am still losing my sleep because of the fact that I have been haunting by a ghost…a female ghost!"

**Reviews please!**

**One more thing! I would like if you readers would take your time and take a look at Rean Darkles story "Going Back". **

** It`s a story worthy to read.**

**Most of you might prefer a love story with CreatureX O.C /Elisabeth (And it`s nothing wrong with that, me myself is a great fan in this kind of love stories.) and want to read something fluffy and sweet. **

**But considering "Goings Back" originality and from Henry Clerval p.o.v, you will get something much more than just LOVE. **

**In the first chapters, Henry Clerval is the central figure of the story. From his eyes we read Victors misery and anxiety and how he feels about it (The story begins just after Victor recovered from his brain-fever.) Not to mention his feelings of Victors newly, weird but very charismatic new assistant Tori Aizen. An American, newly arrived to Ingolstadt who happens to know Victors great little secret.**

**They way Rean Darkle choose to write Henry Clerval as the central person is a very wise choice. From him we get to know more of his personality; warm, down to earth, caring and rational. This makes the reader truly to see the difference between him and his friend Victor personality (Which is more melodramatic, tragic and passionate.) ****But most importantly! From Henrys p.o.v the writer doesn't give us a complete revelation who Tori Aizen really is. Tori Aizen is of course the main heroine in the story, but the writer has chosen to be very careful not to give too much revelation of her true origins, which ****makes the story interesting and fascinating to read.**

**Yes! The Creature is in the story to! Giving his thoughts and feelings. ****Me and Rean Darkle have eagerly debated about his maturity and intelligence and I`m waiting very expectantly for chapter eight of Creatures p.o.v. **

**Minor Spoiler Warning: Potential Love Triangle! ;)**


	26. Victors Nightmare

**Happy Halloween everyone!**

**Well…perhaps not so "happy" considering what`s happening on USAs east coast right now!**

**I hope you all are taking care of yourself and your families when the great "Sandy" or "Frankenstorm" are over your heads. I`m following the process from my computer and TV! While reading the latest news, seeing all the pictures and cameras shots from New York, New Jersey and Washington etc I can't help to shiver when I see these terribly pictures. **

**So, those of you that live in the northeast area, I pray for your life and welfare and hope this storm will be over soon!**

**Be strong and brave my friends, I don't want to lose any of you.**

**Creature and the Maiden chapter 26.**

******Great Thanks to Rean Darkle for helping me with the grammar and the tenses! Thank you! :-)**

"_A ghost!?" _Were James's ears teasing him?

"Let me finish..." Victor's voice was trembling. "As I said I don't believe in magic or ghosts. When we are sleeping our brain creates random images and thoughts that circle our mind. You can't prove that anything is real or not based on such random and chaotic imagery. But after being terrorized by the same nightmare night after night…I cannot trust myself anymore."

James hesitated. He was happy that Victor wanted to tell his fears to someone like him. But he wasn't sure if he knew how to handle Victor's tale.

"Will you tell me about these nightmares?"

Victor took a few deep breaths, to calm his nerves then began his extraordinary tale: "In these dreams, I`m lonely in a strange dark forest and all I can see are shadows, dead trees, and old leafs. Like on a cold autumn night. I`m freezing and I feel a big hollow ache beneath my chest; like my heart is missing and I have nothing to fill its place.

"While walking to find an end to this gloomy realm, I suddenly stumble over a root but manage to stop myself from landing in the dirt. But as I glare down, instead of a root I notice a hand on the road beneath all these dead leaves and twigs. At first I don't understand that it's a hand until it starts to move and clutch at the mud. I suddenly realize a poor victim had been buried alive in the ground. In a panic I moved down and started to remove all the mud from this poor victim and drag him up from his prison. I kept tugging with my hands until a face slowly came into view, then he started to move up by himself. I stiffened as the grinning visage kept moving up from the ground. It was...It."

"Who?"

"The Monster!" Victor whispered. "I tried to run but a bone-crushing hand wrapped around my foot, forcing me onto my back on the ground while a cold breath washed over me. Moving my eyes to my feet, I could see the terrifying monster holding me down; a black-haired creature with wide eyes looking straight into mine. Its whole body was covered in mud, and worms were crawling over the skin. The eyes were a light blue, steamy and narrow as if the skin was stretched too tightly over Its skull. Under the mud the skin was yellow and patched and the head was barely covered with strands of black hair. The creature's mouth was open and harsh moans and cries came out from Its dry lips, and I start to scream in terror. My screaming continues as Its cold hands crawl up my legs in an attempt to reach my throat. Fear gripped my heart like a crushing vice and with an unexpected strength, I managed to pull my legs up and land a kick on both Its face and stomach.

"As It let go in pain, I scrambled to my feet and ran as fast as I could from the beast. In a strange way, I ended up at the entrance to a cemetery and rushed in and slammed the gate hard behind me. Taking a long breath, at first I wasn't sure if I was still dreaming or not. Everything felt so real. From where I was standing, I saw the cemetery was wide and open. I looked behind my back and then around to see if the creature had followed me or was hiding in the cemetery. To my horror I saw it through an open field not too far away."

Victor waved his hand toward the bare field that lay just beside the cemetery; the only security was a low simple stone fence anyone could easily climb over. James could see the field very clearly from their standpoint and he shuddered.

"The moonlight shone brightly on the area and I stared at it in horror. The creature, still on Its hands and knees was slowly crawling towards me; for every move It made, a loud whimpering noise escaped from Its lips.

"The rotting mass of blood and flesh was not fit for human eyes.

"Gruesome wouldn't even cover the half of it. I hid behind a big gravestone, but even from that distance I could hear the creature's moans…I brushed my hair out of my eyes and felt the sweat dripping from my palm. What was I to do? I didn't know if I should run or fight. I was too afraid to think anything rational or realize it was all a bad dream. I could try to wake myself up.

"Then the Creature suddenly stopped moaning and a long silence swept over the cemetery. Curious, I moved my head up from the gravestone and saw the most wondrous thing."

Victor paused, taking a new deep breath and continued. "I…I saw a very old woman kneeling down at the Creature, her thin arms wrapped around It in a hug, encircling him like a caring mother. Her clothes were old and torn and her face deeply wrinkled and dry like sandpaper, but her hair was thick and trailed over her shoulders like white snow and by the moonlight it glowed like silver. Its head was pressed into her shoulder like a baby; comforted by the warmth of her body and presence. Suddenly, to my astonishment, the old woman revealed her left breast from her blouse, the creature moved his mouth to her bare nipple and…started to suck it."

Victor could not help but laugh. Then he continued in a trembling voice, "It was too awkward to be true! Can you image it! A gigantic creature, naked with only mud and leaves covering his body, being breastfed like an infant by this very old lady. I was both disgusted and fascinated at the same time. I also felt a small touch of regret while watching this scene. The woman hadn't hesitated one second to help him and let him touch her skin in such an intimate way. While feeding from the woman's breast the Creature suddenly started to shrink. It became smaller and smaller until It could fit perfectly in the woman's arms like a real baby. To my astonishment the woman was transforming to! While the Creature became smaller, she became younger and younger until she had completely transformed into a beautiful woman. Removing her now white and clean apron she gently tucked it around to cover and warm him. I could barely see it but the glimpses of the creature were still ugly and dirty like before, only tinier and…happier. She kept on glancing down on the little creature with tender reflection in her face. It was like watching a portrait of Mother Mary and her son."

Suddenly Victor's breath became more rampant, his sobs turning into chokes.

"Then her eyes slowly turned to me, paralyzing me; it felt like she saw through me, examined my soul to analyze my inner demons. Guilt and agony swept over me and I could feel she loathed me. For a moment she looked more like a vampire or a haunting spirit. She rose up from the ground and began to walk towards me, carrying the infant in her arms. I ducked under the gravestone again and I slowly sank to the ground, hands clutching my head in fear. I closed my eyes, feeling my own strength and senses start to give up. I squeezed my eyes hard, trying to keep her away as I now could feel her standing right in front of me, staring down with accusations and anger in her eyes. Red started to fill my vision and the next thing I knew I awoke sweating in my own bed.

"And then I felt threads of … something …dragging along the goose-bumped skin of my arms and neck, like cold light fingers until it suddenly disappeared in the air and finally left me alone. Until the next night—then the whole procedure repeated again. The same nightmare with the same Creature and woman, again and again for the last couple of weeks, and every time I see them, I feel fear, agony, and sorrow."

After a few moments of silence between the two in which Victor was trying to control his breath, James debated whether or not Victor's story was created from a miserable, crazy or very sensible man. Perhaps all three? But he could see Victor's trembling came from a very well-grounded fear.

"Trust me...It`s horrible..." Victor shakily said. "The creature and the woman, especially the woman…she looks at me with such accusation in her eyes and I know I deserve it. If I had known during my studies in Ingolstadt what I do now… I wouldn't have stepped a foot into what nature and morality forbid, and I would never have been in this nightmare."

Feeling fearful and worried over this terribly story, James placed his hand on Victor's shoulder. "What have you done, Victor? Even these are just nightmares. I believe this mostly comes from your inner conscience! Is this Creature some kind of metaphor for something; or this old or young woman, perhaps she is someone you met in Ingolstadt and shared a relationship with?" He said with a lower voice. "Have you hurt someone that you didn't mean to? What you have done? Please tell me!"

Victor eyes flitted left and right, like he was checking if someone was behind a stone or in the bushes, but nothing sprung out as being out of the ordinary. Swallowing, Victor turned and moved back to James and hissed.

"I know where that monster comes from, but I have never met this woman in my entire life. Neither alive nor dead, and I would never, never betray Elisabeth for another woman!"

"…No, I don'tmean _that_. But maybe your mind is trying to tell you something. In the dark it's easier to feel oue guilt, sorrow and anxiety. You`re trying to forget and pretend whatever it is you have done never happened, and this is the result."

Victor moved his head down to cover his eyes with his hands. "It was easier to pretend it had never happened a couple of months ago, but why do I dream it now, and for almost every night the past three weeks? You think one nightmare is nothing to worry about and during my brain-fever I had a lot of terrifying nightmares and hallucinations, but they were all different. Why do I keep dreaming the same dream of this pitiful creature and that horrible redheaded woman with the green eyes again and again? I don't know what to do to make it go away!"

When Victor looked back to James, he didn't find the concerned worried smile he expected. James's face was pale, like the color had been drained from it, and his expression was of pure shock.

"Did you say she had red hair and green eyes?"

"Well…Yes…"

James felt a deep pang against his chest. He swallowed hard, didn't want to believe in the very idea that it could possibly be…

"It could be a coincidence but…" He stood up and pulled out the necklace from his neck and showed it to Victor. "Look at this."

When looking at the picture by the light of the moon, Victor's face became white, his throat dry and his hand, that wasn't gripping the stone bench with white knuckles, started to tremble as he reached up to take the portrait from James. He tried to catch his breath as he looked down into her face...the face of the woman from his dreams.

"W-who is she?"

"This I my wife Lillian…"

Fear grasped Victor's heart like strings, binding it tightly, feeling each thread pulsing through him. "It couldn't…possibly be her…" Victor stammered. "The resemblance is remarkable but the woman in my dreams was older and more mature and she had green eyes, not blue."

"There was once a period where I kept dreaming that I would arrive too late and find my daughter to be dead. In those dreams I see my daughter cold and dead in a black coffin in an empty church," James said with a slow and sad voice, his wet eyes looking down at the precious picture of his long dead beloved wife.

"Sometimes Lillian and my infant son are with her, standing beside the coffin with a sad look in their eyes. And sometimes there is another woman standing beside them. Her eyes green and her hair like fire. Holding her hands protectively over Lillian shoulders."

"Are you joking with me?" A mixture of fury and confusion crossed Victor's face. "I told you I don't believe in ghosts!"

"Then why do you having nightmares of a redheaded woman who resembles my wife? And in my own dreams, why do I see her standing beside Laura's coffin?" James pointed out.

"I don't know! I have never met her! I don't know who she is!" Victor protested.

"But you certainly know who the Creature is, don't you?!"

Victor moved his eyes away from James, his face showing remorse and uncertainty, like he knew the answer but didn't want to tell it…yet.

Hearing the thunder and rain starting to fall they quickly started to move back to the mansion. Walking quickly, James started talking again with a calm but careful tone in his voice.

"It`s just a story but…my wife told me once that her grandmother possessed strange gifts."

Victor stopped walking and looked at James with confusion in his eyes. "Gifts? What gifts?"

"I don't know. She told me Isabella, that`s her name, could see much more with her eyes than other humans were capable off, that she could hear and see creatures and other things from other worlds."

"She was a witch?"

By looking at Victor's doubtful face, James knew that this would be very hard for him to believe. Once upon a time he had been in the same position when Lillian told these strange but remarkable stories to him and their daughter. Fascinating stories they were, but they could only be pure imagination, created by a kind but very eccentric old woman—until his strange dreams came and changed it all.

"Is she still alive or dead?" Victor wondered.

"Considering her old age last I saw her, she probably left this earth a long time ago." James sighed and stroked his fingers through his thin hair, now starting to get wet from the heavy rain that was falling from the dark night sky.

"That is utterly ridiculous! I don't believe in magic or witches," Victor muttered as they both started to walk faster. "And I have absolutely no connection with her, so how is it possible that your redheaded woman and mine are the same person?!"

"I am afraid I can't explain it either! I know when she appears, something very important is happening to my Laura. That`s why I`m so desperate to find Laura soon as possible. Something inside me tells me that she`s in deep trouble and she needs me."

With each step they took, a strange sensation was starting to get stronger and stronger as they moved closer to the mansion. It was absolutely ridiculous but there was a feeling that something was going on in there, something they would have no idea how to handle. Reaching the entrance door, sounds of loud voices came from the living room. With fast feet they hurried in and saw Alphonse, Elisabeth and Justine standing there. Alphonse was reading a letter while Elizabeth embraced a much shaken Justine. When Victor and James entered the room, they turned around, a perplexed look on each of their faces.

"What`s the matter, has something happened?" James said worriedly.

"A moment ago we had a burglar in our house!" Justine shakily said with Elisabeth's arms wrapped around her shoulders to soothe her nerves.

James and Victor's uneasiness only grew, though they didn't understand why. They couldn't describe the sensation, even to themselves. It was as if it was a sign, a warning, an expectation, a paranoia…all in one strange and unpleasant sensation.

Victor forced himself to act calm and steady in front of his family, but it was hard after his and James's earlier discussion. "H-How did it happen, Justine?"

"I can't be certain, but while you two were out, I spotted a woman walking away from the dining hall. I didn't recognize her from the staff and I tried to call her but she ignored me," Justine said while shuddering. "It was a tall woman in a brown gown. I didn't have the chance to see her face but her hair was long with red curls reaching to her waist."

"WHAT!" Both James and Victor shouted so loud that Elisabeth and Justine took two steps back in surprise.

"I…I called for her to stop and I ran after her, but as I turned the corner she took, she was gone!" She spoke with a slightly confused look in her face from their sudden outburst. "I don't know what to believe. I should have seen her because the corridor she took is very long, but when I turned into it she wasn't there! First I thought this was just a silly daydream or merely a shadow playing with me, but when I walked into the dining hall I saw this parchment on the table."

She pointed with a shaking finger at the letter Alphonse was holding.

"And I can tell you, this letter is even more confusing," Alphonse said as he took a deep breath and opened the letter again. With a clear voice he began to read it to the whole family.

_Monsieur Alphonse Frankenstein_

_We would have continued to live our lives separate and never have interfered with yours, but under these circumstances I have no choice other than to write this desperate letter to you and Caroline and beg for your help. _

_You are our last chance. _

_I might not know the reasons why you sent your son away and refused to be any part of his life. But if you may recall the name Laura Galinette Dubois you may change your mind. She is the daughter of your wife's cousin, James Dubois and from the tale she has told me they both shared a great bond of friendship to each other when they were young. But because of Mr. Dubois urgent call to leave Europe in a last attempt to save his company from ruin, Mr. Dubois left Laura in the hands of his partner Mr. Crottington and his family. Unfortunately, Laura and his family didn't get along very well so the solution was to send her to her great grandmother and my now long departed friend Isabella Galinette. Despite her poverty Isabella Galinette was a very honest and intelligent old woman who took care of Laura tenderly and after her death I have given my protection to this young beautiful woman's life. _

_It sounds incredible, but faith has brought your son John and your distant relation Laura Galinette Dubois together! During this cold winter Laura saved this poor human's life from freezing to death and by tender care and great affection Laura inspired John to be a great man, showing the best parts of his character. I don't know if your reason to never interfere in your son's life is because you`re afraid for your reputation, your family or because when the day he was born he wasn't the vision you had expected. I'm not blind to his features but I`m more aware of his tender heart. Laura's eyes see more than any ordinary human eyes see. John is certainly not handsome but she has learned to see past his ugliness and witnessed the true beauty of his soul. There is no doubt that they both share the same deep feelings for each other._

_But because of Johns features, last month the people of our village captured and imprisoned him in belief that he`s a demon or a monster. He is treated like a caged animal and Laura is now in the clutches of the town's Mayor: Mr. Rochester. A man who is feared, dishonorable and cruel, and rumors say that he plans to make Laura his daughter-in-law against her will, or else she will be accused of witchcraft._

_I beg of you to help, I wouldn't made this desperate attempt to call you if Laura hadn't mentioned your wife Caroline's goodness and kindness. _

_So, please, I beg of you and your wife, Caroline for your help._

_Save John and Laura from their misery and pain. Do this for your poor son and your dear cousin's daughter and let them have their happy ending at last. Meeting a woman like Laura and finding his equal is one chance in a lifetime and they both certainly deserve it._

_Esther Bovary._

While reading, Alphonse's eyebrows rose higher and higher and his eyes rescanned certain words in the letter. Then he looked up in confusion to his son, who looked likely to faint any minute and to James, who was now pale and speechless.

"What son is she talking about?"

* * *

_Later…_

Victor couldn't quite remember how he ended up in his bedroom. His family must have carried him up and placed him there, easy for them now that he weighed almost nothing.

First he was too groggy to remember anything until his head started pounding from the sudden sensation of rushing blood to his brain. He remembered what his father had told him before, and he dropped down on the hard floor.

It`s impossible, John couldn't be It?!

The odds were minimal and the possibility that this John could be his Creature was ridiculous. It was too far away from Ingolstadt to this village and thinking his Creature had made contact with Victor's distant relation was too weird to be true. But the woman's name was Laura Dubois, James daughter, and according to the descriptions in the letter, this John possessed too much similarity with his own abandoned creation. But why was Esther referring his to father as responsible for his actions? Could it be that his father had been unfaithful? Having a bastard son outside his marriage? Impossible!

But what was possible? The Creature or his father's bastard son?

Remembering his naivety and high ambitions from just a few years ago, Victor had a hard time believing that used to be him. He was so engulfed in science and its literature, had wanted to do something that had never been done before! He had worked so hard to find the great secret of nature—Life and Death, that he forgot reality. Except for Dr. Waldman and Henry, he never made any connections or friends in Ingolstadt. Hours, days, weeks and years he spent reading and studying everything he could find that might lead him closer to the great answer.

And one night he finally found it!

But at a great cost; ignoring his few friends and his beloved family for months, experimenting with this new great power, feeling like a new "God" on earth…everything to create…that creature.

Oh, why did he create such a being that had no similarities with the ideal human being he had fantasized about? All of his efforts resulted in a monstrous devil and not the Angel or Adam of his dreams. Though he had selected the creature's parts because he considered them beautiful, the finished man was hideous: thin pale lips, inhuman eyes, and sallow skin through which one could see the pulsing work of Its muscles, arteries, and veins.

It had first looked so…dead. But then, in that dirty bathtub in his laboratory, when Its eyes had opened so suddenly, it was obvious that he was very much alive. From exhaustion and fear Victor fainted on the floor and when he woke up again the creature was staring down over him.

During his brain fever and nightmares he had hallucinated that the creature was hunting him. Chasing after him with Its cold arms and fingers outstretched in an attempt to grasp Victor's throat.

But these recent nightmares, did they really show an act of evilness or desperation? Except for the Creature's hideous deformity, did It actually want to hurt him? It looked so innocent as a newly-born child which, in a sense, is precisely what it was when that woman held… him… in her arms.

James was right! Most of his nightmares were based on his regret, shame, bad conscience and desperate attempts to forget it all! Pretending what he had done never happened. That he had never created a creature and gave him life by his own hands. But even if he tried to find It, he had absolutely no idea where it was. Possibilities that It had actually died by the cold weather or lack of food or care crossed his mind. Or worse…that someone found It and out of fear of Its ugliness killed the Creature.

But whether this was an unknown son outside his father's marriage, a total stranger or his Creature who was now in prison on unfair accusations, Victor had decided; a decision that could be the solution to his misery and perhaps a chance of redemption.

Victor sighed deeply and laid his cheek back on the pillow. He just needed to hold on…for a little while longer…and then he would know the truth. The night outside his window seemed even lighter than before. The rain had stopped and the moon shone brightly as he watched it. Moments later he closed his eyes again.

However, seconds later a flitting of shadows across his eyelids made his heart stop. He gasped and sat up to look at the window again. Victor watched with wide eyes her silhouette against the moonlight, wind teasing the red hair across her face from the open window. Her face resting in the palm of her hand as her elbow rested on the window ledge.

He would deny everything about ghosts, spirits, and fairies for the rest of his life, but he would never deny seeing this unnatural vision! This time he wasn't dreaming.

Neither of them said a word as she gazed upon him. He stared back at her.

Then she smiled, mischievous, like she knew what he was going to do and she was now satisfied. As the moonlight vanished behind the dark clouds outside, so did she and the shadows around her.

Victor fell back on the pillow again, and into the first true sleep since he fell ill.

**Reviews please!**


	27. The Letter

**This chapter is going to be a background history of Laura Dubois pas. Not so much action but it has intresting information. Like how the Frankenstein ever got Esthers letter and Lauras great grandmother Isabella... **

**Great Thanks to Rean Darkle for helping me with the grammar and the tenses in this chapter! Thank you! :-)**

**Dont forget to review!**

******Creature and the maiden chapter 27.**

Toby and Esther Bovary had both been standing stiff and afraid while the police and one of Rochester's men asked them about Laura. Everything from personal traits, people she spends time with and what kind of herbs she had collected. Did she collect any that were poisonous? Like Belladonna or Poison Hemlock? Was there anything particular they had noticed about her? Did they know about this "Creature" she had been keeping in her cottage? Was there something about her grandmother the police and Mr. Rochester should know about? Had she really been a Witch?

Toby's eyes had first sparkled with hope when Esther told him that she had found John, only to return to a melancholic state again when she described the circumstances.

"We can't do anything if he's bound in iron, Esther." Toby told her with a bowed head. "This is much deeper than you think."

"But we must do something!" Esther yelled desperately at him. "They are treating him like a caged animal. When I looked back there the people were screaming and laughing at him, I just wanted to-"

"I found this when I was heading home." With a hesitant hand, Toby handed her the local newspaper. "I think you should look at it."

Esther was first uncertain whether she should take it or not. But she did and was instantly met with a startling front cover. It pictured a gigantic monster with vampire-teeth, arms that looked like they belonged to a gorilla and a wisp of black hair that barely covered his head. The picture was utterly horrifying. Her eyes travelled across the page and read the title of the article_._

"_Witch or not a Witch? The Trial day is now set for Laura Galinette Dubios's accusations of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The date is set on…"_

Her trembling hands gripped the paper very hard, and then the sounds of crackling paper pierced through the silent kitchen and small bits of the former newspaper fell slowly down to the floor.

It would be an understatement to say that she was angry. She was furious!

"This is the most odious thing I have ever read my entire life! The writer who wrote these words must be an Idiot! Just look at the illustration! How dare they?!" Esther shouted angrily and began pacing back and forth across the room. "Laura is just an innocent girl and John has done nothing wrong!"

Toby wanted to calm his wife down, but one look at her red face and he knew it was better to allow her some space and time, or else he would be her next victim.

"Yes, but what can we do? Mr. Rochester is thirsting for blood and…God help us if the rumors are true, either he or his son Pierre will take Laura as his wife!"

"The rumors must be false! She doesn't have any fortune they would be interested in!"

"But instead of prison, they have locked her up in that mansion of theirs. Why?" Toby asked calmly. "What can we really do Esther?"

Without a word, Esther walked to their shelf, pulled up a very old envelope from one of the small boxes and looked at it. For a while she starred at it, and then she heaved a deep sigh and picked up a piece of paper from the same box and placed both the paper and the envelopment on the kitchen table. She pulled up a chair across from Toby and sat down again.

"This might be a way to help her and John. It`s a small hope but I'm willing to give it a try."

"What is this?" Toby wondered as he looked at the old envelope and the piece of paper.

"I have written a letter to Laura's distant relations… the Frankensteins."

Toby was certainly surprised as he looked at Esther and then at the letter in front of him. "Where on earth did you get their address?"

"By one of James Dubios old letters Laura was keeping." Esther pointed at the old envelope. "She took it with her when she ran away from her ward and right after she moved in with us she gave these letters to me so I could keep them safe. Laura told me that her father and his cousin had been very close and she even met this family once when she was a child. But when Mr. Dubois went aboard to gain his luck again and disappeared, none of his relations came and fetched her. Not even sending a letter to hear of her welfare. Don't you think it`s strange?"

"That they never contacted her after James Dubois disappearance?"

"Yes! Before she came here she had tried to contact them but they never wrote back! But I am going to make a try. I don't know if the letters Laura wrote ever reached them or not. Either they had moved and changed their address or Mr. Crottington took the letters before she ever got the chance to post but I will give it a try! What else can we do?"

Toby took the letter in his hands and began to read it, minute after he took a deep sigh and moved his worried eyes towards Esther.

"Don't you think it`s a bit of a risk you`re taking? What you have written might give the opposite effect. If you send this to him and he reads it, he might ignore it and throw it away. A man in such high position thinks more of his reputation and fortune and his family welfare. Take Mr. Rochester for example. Perhaps if you could change and cut a few words here and there it might be a chance that he…"

"No!" Esther protested and folded her arms resolutely. "He`s part of this tragic story and I want him to take the responsibility and do something. "

"But what if this address is old? They might have moved to another city or to another country. It could take days, weeks or months until they get this letter. Or worse…they might be dead. "

There was a long moment of silence until Esther reached over and gently grasped his hands with her own and squeezed his fingers softly. "I know but I`m going to give it a try! I can't sit here and do nothing! If I just sit here, rolling my fingers…I will go mad!"

* * *

Ashes still flowed in the air as the wind continued to sweep through the now empty spot where Laura and John's former home had been. The only thing that was left intact was the old stone chimney, looking all black and sooty. The garden didn't look very well either. Several footprints of different sizes were visible in the mud. Here and there Esther saw ruined vegetables and broken bushes, completely destroyed and unable to save. The goat Lucinda had been taken away by some unknown peasant and Esther hoped that the new owner was taking proper care of the Goat and had not butchered her for the meat.

Esther brushed away some ash from her hair while she starred at the burnt black Chimney. While looked at this sad landscape her hand was holding the folded letter, addressed to Frankenstein.

She wasn't alone.

John's puppy Milton was at her side, looking at the ashes and the destroyed garden with his sad puppy eyes. He was lucky to have escaped from the angry mob, they would have probably believed he was the Devil's Hound and killed him instantly. Did Milton know what happened to John and Laura? The reasons why his beloved master was in prison and the towns' people hated him so much? Dogs don't really care about people's appearances; they judge after what the smell and feel from the person's emotions and behavior towards them.

Dogs can feel if a person is afraid, happy, angry or just simply good or bad.

The sun still moved, but for the old woman and the puppy standing there in front of the burned cottage, time had stopped.

Milton's head moved up and turned towards burnt downed piles of woods. He tilted his head to the side and then trotted over to the burned piles, sniffing at them. Then he looked up at the remains of the chimney and started walking around it, fixing his eyes to the top of it.

"What`s the matter Milton, do you see a goblin on the top of the chimney?" Esther teased at his curious behavior.

Esther hadn't been a young woman for a very long time but she had known the late Isabella Galinette ever since Esther was a little girl. During that time Isabella Galinette was just an ordinary healer and midwife. People who couldn't afford the doctor or buy medicine went to Isabella instead. She had great knowledge of the herbs' usefulness and treated fever, slight burn marks, injuries and helped to deliver babies safely; otherwise she was just an ordinary widow by a long dead forest keeper and a very loving but very protecting mother.

But when Esther was perhaps ten years old she had heard that Isabella's only child, Rosella or Rose, had run away with one of the boys from the town in hope of finding better luck in the south. Rose had been much older than Esther at that time. She remembered very clearly Rose possessed the same red curly hair and green eyes as her mother. Unfortunately she had also inherited the fiery temperament and determination of her father. She was determined not to stay the rest of her life in this small isolated village when she had the world open to her. Isabella was devastated and had begged her not to leave, warned her that a lone woman without any protection will be in the same danger as an ugly deformed person; getting caught and being used and violated by unmerciful, evil-minded wolves!

But Rose had made her decision. She wanted more from her life and no one was going to stop her, so she left.

Several years came and went and Isabella heard no signs from Rose. During the first period, Isabella became depressed and began to avoid people. She hadn't enough strength nor will to gather new herbs or take care of her garden. She stopped helping people's injuries and sicknesses and became more and more isolated. Her red hair became more and more lighter and four years after Rose's departure, her lovely red hair had transformed into completely white locks. She rarely took a bath and for weeks she could wear the same outfit without any care of changing! More than often Isabella started to make long walks through the woods; she could be there for hours or days until she showed up again. As her nearest neighbor and closest friends, Esther and her family kept a watchful eye on Isabella's welfare. Making sure she had something to eat, enough woods to make a fire and tried talk to her in a serious attempt to raise her up from the depression.

In the beginning, people understood and tolerated her depression. Many knew the feeling to lose a beloved husband, wife or child during this constant world of wars, starvations and sicknesses. But when Isabella's behavior wasn't changing and she became more and more like an insane person, they began to avoid her.

It was during this time the first rumors that Isabella might be a Witch started to bloom.

Fortunately, after many years of separation from the outside world, Isabella's mood finally started to change and she became better again.

Esther wasn't sure what had changed Isabella, but what her mother told her had happened before Isabella`s new leaf; She had seen Isabella walking on the small road that leaded to the center of the dark forest. Esthers mother had a good sight of Isabella from her garden. She had been working, and was first not really surprised that Isabella was going out for a walk again. Until, and in front of her eyes, Isabella suddenly disappeared out of the blue!

Really disappeared! A moment she saw Isabella white messy hair and her worn-out dirty clothes, walking on the road like a haunting spirit, and one second later…she was gone!

Three days came and went and just Esther's father decided to make a search for her, Isabella finally showed up again, with a strange glow in her face. A glow they never had seen before on her. It made her old face look almost young again and her spirit seemed happy and free, like she had carried a heavy burden but now it was finally gone.

What had happened in the forest? Who or what had turned Isabella's face back to the living world again? They tried to ask her but Isabella kept her lips closed and the only answer she ever gave them was a small cryptic smile with her eyes.

Either way Isabella became better, that was most important. She started to repair her mismanaged cottage and began to receive patients again, but still kept her privacy and rarely went down to the town if it wasn`t anything important. Most of her old patients were happy that she was well again so she could take care of their injuries, childbirths and fevers, some looked at her with superstition and talked behind her back.

Rumors about how she`s actually a changeling by the fairies, sold her soul to the devil or having secret contact with the spirits of the forest were some of them. Magic was involved, they all said! Magic that was unnatural and against the laws of the Holy Church.

Esther never believed these rumors but she admitted that she sometimes felt a little bit uncomfortable that Isabella preferred to be more in touch with nature than the Holy Father.

Another couple of years came and went until one day a letter came to Isabella.

The letter was from Rose!

Isabella had showed the letter to Esther and her mother. Just like Isabella warned, Rose got into trouble when her boyfriend left her at the gateway of the sea-town Marseille, taking with him almost all her money she had spared. Fortunately, Rosella meet another female fortune seeker in the town and by pretending to be sisters, they were able to work and share a small apartment together without damaging their honor and reputation.

But Rosella's naive dreams to live a fairytale with her former lover; to get married, get rich, see the world and have many children and always be together was forever crashed into tiny little pieces.

Life was hard for Rose in the big city. She first got a job as a fishseller at the markets, then as a factory-worker in one of the many factories in the town. It was hard, very tiresome and she utterly hated it, but it kept her from ending up on the streets, poor and broke.

One day her fortune finally came back to her! Perhaps mostly thanks to her beauty and charm, she managed to snatch and get married to a Captain!

Captain Abel Jules Dante!

He owned two ships but they were small and he wasn't very rich compared with the other companies in the town, but compared with Rose's former living, never had she felt more like a princess. Mr. Dante was rarely at home because of his company and it could take months until he returned, so the amount of children in the household resulted only to one single daughter: Lillian Isabella Dante.

Mrs. Rose Dante's immediate fortune and security as "Wife" gave her courage to write back to her mother. She asked forgiveness for she hadn't written until now and explained her reasons for it. Embarrassment because the first years hadn't been what she really dreamed of, but mostly she wanted to write something good, to show her mother how wrong she was. That Rose could take care of herself. And now Isabella could tell everyone that her daughter had succeeded to marry a captain and was now a proper wife with her own household. A daughter to be proud of!

She wanted to show her mother how successful she had become and offered her to come and stay with her in Marseille. Give her a warm and much bigger home, servants who would take care of her and most importantly; helping her with upcoming grandchild. Happy that Rose had finally called her and told her she was alive and safe, Isabella declined Rose offer. She wrote back and explained that Rose and her family were always welcome to visit her anytime, but for her…Isabella wanted to stay here in her little cottage, she couldn't dream to be somewhere else. This was her home and nowhere else.

Sad and a little bit angry (And after countless letters of persuasion), Rose gave away Isabella's rejection, even if it meant she could never be as close to her again and fully take proper care of her. To lessen her bad conscience Rose had sent regularly a small amount of money to Isabella. But neither Rose nor Esther ever knew if Isabella used the money or not.

Only their letters never separated them truly. When Lillian Dante became a young woman, they could finally afford to visit Isabella.

Unfortunately, this was the only time Isabella, Rosella and Lillian were all together as a true family and Esther will never forget that memorable meeting. An older and more mature Rose embraced Isabella tightly, both with tears in their eyes. Even Lillian had shared Isabella and Rose's fiery red hair; she had certainly inherited Mr. Dante's gentle blue eyes and more gentle nature than her fiery and adventurist mother. The shy but gentle young Lillian wrapped her fingers around Isabella's and gave her the warmest smile with her soft blue eyes and gave Isabella a soft tender kiss on her cheek.

Mother, daughter and granddaughter…. all together for the first and last time.

Later Rose and her husband died by the terrible scarlet fever and Lillian had to take care of herself after the hard delivery of her firstborn and Isabella's great-granddaughter; Laura Caroline Dubois.

It took another couple of years until Lillian and her husband could make another visit to Isabella's, this time together with their precious seven year old Laura. The redness seemed to not fade away on this generation either; Laura carried the same long bright red hair but had her late grandmother's green eyes and a little bit of her temperament in her.

Then another tragedy came. Sweet Lillian passed away in childbirth when she delivered her second child; a small baby boy. Sadly, he didn't live very long either, so in the end both mother and child were buried together in the cemetery.

The letter Mr. Dubois had sent to Isabella about this terrible news was the last message from him. After that, Isabella heard nothing from him ever again. Isabella had been devastated when she read this letter. She was now over her sixties and both her daughter, granddaughter and great-grandson had died before her. It wasn't fair! She should have been the one to die first, not them! Never had Isabella felt so regretful in her determination to stay in her cottage. She should have moved to Marseille when she had the chance! She would have been closer to Rose, Lillian and Laura. She might even have saved them, especially Lillian and the boy from their tragic death.

Now it was too late!

Isabella had tried to contact Mr. Dubois and her only great-granddaughter Laura, but no answer came, not even a single note. For a while Isabella was sad and depressed but not as severe like she had when Rose left her. She was now old and had seen many people live and die around her; old friends, neighbors and strangers from the town etc. Her time was coming closer too but she hadn`t been afraid to die alone. That day when she disappeared and came back from the forest had changed her. It had made her stronger and wiser. She had accepted death as a natural part in the nature so she had never been afraid of it.

But a few years later after Mr. Dubois's last letter, another period of great anxiety came over Isabella. Esther didn't know how or why Isabella had started looking pale and distressed again.

Every day Isabella walked past Esther's house to the main road that lead directly to the town, and on the opposite direction; to the big and strange world far away. From Esther's window she had seen Isabella starring almost in hours at the direction where the horizon that laid open and wide. Did she expect a visit from her last remaining family or a patient from another town?

Esther had asked Isabella what was the matter. Was she ill? Did she feel lonely because her small family lived so far away or was her mind starting to get disconcerted like many other people's did when they were getting old? The only thing Isabella told her was she expected a visit soon but she couldn't be sure when. So many things could go wrong and Isabella prayed every day that everything was going to be all right. Esther had asked who but Isabella's lips were closed and she refused to tell anymore.

Then the day finally came, but in the most unexpected way Esther ever imaged to be.

It had been a cold day in October. The air was crisp and cold, the trees were losing leaves, and the incessant wind was blowing through hair and clothes. Esther had been washing and hanging up wet clothes on a line to dry, trying to use what little was left of the warm sun before it lost its warm touch.

While hanging up a skirt Esther had moved her eyes a little from her work and got startled to see a small figure mere meters away, walking on the road. First she thought it was one of her own children but as Esther narrowed her eyes, she could see it wasn't and the figure was a little girl.

"Hello, dear?! Are you lost?" Esther had asked. She thought at first that the girl perhaps came from the town and was now lost.

"No, I`m going to visit my grandma. Is this the road that leads to her house?" The little girl had said as she pointed her finger on the small road that leaded directly to Isabella's home.

She had been wearing plain worn-out garments, bare feet covered in mud, and the only thing she carried was an old bag and a small grey hat with several holes in it.

But beneath that hat, Esther saw a pair of large, sparkling but very tired green eyes and a head full of red locks. The young girl's nose and cheeks had been red from the chilly wind and she carried a face that Esther had recognized immediately.

Then she heard someone behind her and when Esther looked back, she saw Isabella. Her arms were outstretched and little Laura had given a happy shout and run towards her. Isabella had embraced and lifted Laura up like she didn't weigh a thing and gave her a big hug and a lot of kisses on her cheeks, while her old eyes were wet with tears.

Esther was certainly startled when she saw this reunion.

Was that really Laura? Alone?! Where was her father? Where was Mr. Dubois? Why was Laura dressed in rags and no shoes? How did Isabella know she was coming and if she did, why hadn't she told Esther about it?

Isabella smiled back at Esther's great confusion, and like she was reading her mind Isabella had said; "It`s a very long story Esther, I will tell you everything later."

Then Isabella had turned her back, and carried Laura's small body in her old withering arms, like an old forest spirit she soon disappeared into the forest, to her home and sanctuary.

The explanation she got later from Isabella, was that James had gone away with one of his ships, in a desperate attempt to save his company from ruin and had left Laura in the hands of a man called Mr. Crottington. Many years had passed and there was no sign of him. Many believed that he was dead so Laura became Mr. Crottington's ward. But the treatment she had received in that household was horrible. Mr. Crottington's wife and son didn't really appreciate having her there, so as an alternative they had sent her to a boarding school for girls. Considering the terrible quality of her dress, the lack of nourishment and the small marks on her skinny body she had received from the teachers, Laura had chosen to take her destiny in her own hands, like her grandmother had, and left the school. Completely on her own she had followed the river Rhone as her guideline. She had walked and lifted on carriages and wagons, crossed the borders of France, Switzerland and Germany and managed to find Schartzwald and the town all by herself.

Esther had extremely doubted that Laura really did the journey all on her own without any chaperon or companion! It was hundreds of miles between Marseille and here. A lonely girl was an easy target by robbers, kidnappers and rapists. How did Laura know how to travel such a long distance without getting lost? Why hadn't Mr. Crottington just simply sent her to her grandmother or to the Frankensteins if they didn't want to take care of her? It was certainly irresponsible of them when Laura took this extreme risk to make this long journey on her own.

But she remembered the warm embrace they had shared, Esther saw the deep connection between Laura and Isabella. Last time Laura saw her grandmother she was only seven years old, but the way she looked at Isabella, it looked like she had knew Isabella for a long time. And in many ways, it was like they didn't need to say any words to each other, they just simply understood what had happened.

Had Isabella really possessed something that was beyond the human capacity in body and soul? Had she really been a "Witch"?

Either way; the fairies, the devil or the spirits may have protected Isabella and later her great granddaughter Laura from trouble, but when John came into Laura's world, everything had changed.

_"There's no justice to it!" _ Esther thought bitterly. _"Poor Laura, poor John."_

A chill wind abruptly whistled past her and awoke Esther from her daydreams. Her silent minute had been long enough. She needed to send the letter to the Frankensteins and she couldn`t afford to lose another minute of Laura and John's precious time.

Ashes and leaves swirled and danced upon the nearly deserted glade, Esther could feel the wind begin to flow a different way, starting to make a strange sound, the kind that makes you shiver internally.

It sounded familiar in Esther's ears. She listened closely and thought she heard a calling... Her heart quickened for it sounded just…. Oh god! She hoped that her age, her worries and lack of sleep was playing tricks on her. . Esther drew her shawl closer to cover her ears as the wind picked up and blew more forcefully. She moved fast away from the cottage and all she could hear was a faint echo. She ignored it and continued to walk, considered it nothing; she was just simply imagining it.

Milton whined. He walked beside her but he kept on looking back over his shoulders, his eyes looked again and again at the burned down spot and the chimney and he tried to catch Esther's eyes but she ignored him.

Suddenly, with big surprise, the big puppy jumped and quickly took the letter right from her hand, leaped right past her and began to run directly back to the open glade.

"You stupid dog!" Esther yelled as she ran after and tried to catch him and take her letter back from Milton's teethes.

But the puppy just muffled loudly, ignored Esther's commands, and then he moved right and suddenly was completely gone behind the trees and bushes.

"You damn dog!" Esther screamed. "Come back here right now!"

Suddenly she heard something, and as she moved her head up to quickly look what it was, she stopped shouting.

There, far away from her, behind the burned chimney, her eyes noticed an appearance of a human figure. Esther's heart almost stopped from this sudden surprise. She thought she had been alone here. After the fire, no one wanted to be near this sorrowful place. Nervously Esther walked closer; the figure was of a woman. She could see the contour of a dress and an apron but couldn't see the woman's head nor face because half the body was hidden behind the shadows of the chimney.

Suddenly, the woman moved forward and by the dim light Esther saw her face.

Esther's face became pale at the vision before her.

"Oh my god…"

And then, completely terrified and by pure instinct, Esther turned her back and as if the Devil was behind her, she ran the fastest she could home, back to her family and to safety. The red haired vision kept standing beside the chimney. She starred silently at Esther's running form until she was completely gone from her sight. Beside her stood Milton, holding Esther's letter to Frankenstein in his drooling mouth.


End file.
